The Art of Happy
by aven91
Summary: He had seen her before around the clubhouse while he was in Charming. He paid her no mind though because she was off limits. Then she moves to Tacoma and Happy is asked to keep an eye on her. (Summary is lame, but whatever) *34 chapters updated all at once)
1. Chapter 1

Shayla watched as the back door of the moving truck was slid closed by Jax. He made sure it was locked up tight before he turned on his sister. He grinned his lopsided grin before stepping closer to her and wrapped his arms around her. She took in his scent of leather and the smell of the garage. She breathed nice and slow so she could savor his smell. She didn't know how long it was going to be before she was able to smell that smell again.

"You sure you wanna do this?" Jax asked her as he pulled away from her. Shayla sighed a little, but nodded her head slowly.

"I need to leave Charming for a while. College will be perfect for that." Jax let out a similar sigh and gave her a sad look. His gaze fell to her cut lip and bruised cheek. Shayla lowered her head a little to hide the injuries.

Her now ex fiance had come home fucked up and had beaten her to a pulp. It had happened a few times before, but she always talked Clay and the others out of doing anything about it because he didn't know what he was doing when he was in such a state. She hadn't seen him since that night, but she was told that he walked away.

Shayla heard the click of her mother's heels before she heard her call out her name. Shayla frowned at Jax who grinned in return. When Gemma had discovered that Shayla was going to be leaving for college, there was a huge fight that had broken out. She knew that Gemma was just worried about her since she was the one that had found Shayla knocked out on her kitchen floor. She had always been protective of her, but after that night, it was so different. Gemma had taken up residence in Shayla's spare bedroom and literally followed her everywhere. Shayla had agreed to go to college in Tacoma so she could still have protection and that had calmed the Queen enough to let her go without much more fuss.

"Do you have your gun?" Gemma asked giving her that look that said she still wasn't very happy with her choice.

"Of course. It's in my purse," Shayla replied as she faced her mother completely.

"You got your meds?" She was being short with Shayla. Shayla knew the only reason why she was doing that was because it annoyed Shayla to no end.

"Also in my purse."

"You got your emergency credit card? Money?"

"Ma, I got this. Everything is good to go and I mean everything." Clay had saw an opportunity in Shayla going to Tacoma. SAMCRO was needing to run a shipment of guns to Tacoma so SAMTAC could transport them to somewhere else. Shayla knew not to ask too many questions about what was going on, but when Clay had approached her about using her moving van as a cover to run the guns to Tacoma, Shayla agreed to do it without question. She was aware that the cops were sniffing around and was beginning to become an issue. They were making it difficult to do any kind of the "extracurricular activity" so Shayla was going to help. After all, Gemma constantly reminded Shayla that she would be inheriting the "kingdom" some day. And she was going to protect it.

"That's my girl," she heard Clay's rough voice say from behind her then felt his arm go around her shoulders. "Listen, you don't have to do this if you don't want to. It's still not too late to back out." Shayla smiled up at Clay then kissed his cheek.

"I know, but I want to do this. The ass hole cops are sniffing really close and this way it won't look suspicious." Tig walked up to them with a duffle bag thrown over his shoulder. "Besides, I'm going to have Tigger with me, what could possibly go wrong?" Tig winked at her before tossing his duffle into the cab of the moving truck.

"That's what I'm afraid of," Gemma muttered crossing her arms over her chest. Shayla rolled her eyes and Clay dropped his arm from her shoulders. "Ma, I have my cell. Tig has his cell. I have money, my house is waiting for me. My utilities are taken care of. I have a couple interviews lined up for when I arrive. Everything is good to go. I promise, this will be as smooth as smooth can be." Gemma's frown deepened as she looked at her daughter. Shayla held her breath as she waited, once again, for her mother's approval.

Finally Gemma grinned and stepped forward to wrap her arms around her daughter. Shayla relaxed into her mother's embrace as she returned it. When Gemma pulled back, Shayla could tell she was looking at the injuries on her face through her glasses by the thinning of her lips. Shayla looked away from her. She hated how she felt so small when her mother looked at her like that. Almost like she was disappointed in her.

Shayla could understand why her mother was so worried about her leaving the way she was. She had never been that far from home before. Shayla had never been out of California. Gemma had told her that the only reason why she wanted to leave the way she did was because Shayla wanted to hurt her, but that wasn't true. The truth was, she was only twenty two years old and had almost gotten married and threw her entire life away. She wanted to live her life and follow her dream and become a graphic designer so she could create her own video game.

"I want you to call me every hour on the hour to check in with me," Clay said to Shayla. "If you run into any trouble, you listen to everything Tig tells you."

"I know the drill, Clay. We've went over it several times." She was getting really tired of everyone treating her like she was still just a kid. She supposed they had every right to do that since she was still just twenty two years old, but she was ready to be an adult.

She had set everything up on her own, she had found her house, found her potential jobs, even went and filled out the FAFSA applications by herself and that shit was confusing as hell. She was a big girl and they weren't letting her put on her big girl panties and handle shit on her own. It was all so frustrating.

"I just want to make sure you remember. You were stoned every time I tried to talk to you about it," Clay defended raising his eyebrows at her. Shayla giggled. He wasn't wrong. Clay and Shayla had a good relationship with each other. He may not have been her real father and she knew that he and Jax didn't really get along most of the time, but he was a good father to them whether Jax liked it or not. It took one hell of a man to step in and help raise children that weren't even his especially since he wasn't even a father himself, but he always tried to do right by them and Shayla was always grateful for that.

"That's fair, but I'm usually good at remembering things when I'm high," Shayla shot back. Jax scoffed and rolled his eyes.

"Yeah, unless it's the food in the oven," Jax teased. Shayla pointed a finger at him.

"That was one time, Jackson, and I only forgot because you were pissing me off," she snapped. Jax held his arms out like he was innocent.

"I can't help that I was better than you at Mortal Kombat!" Jax said with a laugh on his breath.

"Everyone is better when they keep using Scorpion!" she hissed.

"Oh, come on, everyone knows that Sub Zero is better," Tig said as he stepped in between Jax and Clay. Shayla narrowed her eyes at Tig.

"Don't make this trip any harder than it has to be," she said in a threatening tone that sounded eerily similar to her mother's tone. Tig grinned at her completely unfazed by it.

"We're all ready to go. You ready, Princess?" Tig asked leaning back against the truck. Shayla took a deep breath as she looked around the parking lot of Teller-Murrow. Everyone went on about their business as if nothing else was going on in the world. She had already said her goodbyes to everyone, but they were on the clock so they had to get back to work.

She watched as one of the latest prospects came out of the garage rolling a tire alongside him. He was a Puerto Rican from Queens. His name was Juice. She liked him well enough and she really hoped that he got patched in. He was tech savvy just like she was. He spoke her language. It was actually really nice to be able to talk to someone about programming and software and not get glazed over eyes as a response.

"Hey Prospect!" she called out. Juice stopped and looked at her across the parking lot. The tire kept on rolling, but he paid no attention to it. Shayla smiled at him and he immediately returned it. "You better be patched in by the time I get back!" Juice laughed.

"You can count on it!" he replied and gave her a fake salute. The forgotten tire was suddenly remembered when it rolled into a trashcan and knocked it over only to send trash everywhere. Shayla laughed as Juice gasped and ran over to pick the mess up.

"Now I'm ready to go," she said with a shake of her head.

"Fucking Prospects," Tig said with a shake of his head and made his way up to the passenger side of the truck so he could hop in. Shayla made her way to the driver's side when she heard Bobby call out. She watched him as he hurried to the truck as best he could. He carried a huge paper bag. He handed it to her.

"Little care package for the road. Got some cookies, muffins, and brownies in there for you." Shayla's eyes lit up as she grabbed the bag.

"Special cookies, muffins, and brownies?" she asked happily. Bobby chuckled and shook his head no.

"Like I would give you three pounds of that shit. We'd find you and Tig in Hawaii wondering how the hell you got there in the truck." Shayla laughed as she opened the door and handed the bag to Tig as he climbed into the truck.

"Well, thanks Bobby especially if you threw extra chunky chocolate chip in there." Bobby smiled and there was a twinkle in his eye that he got whenever someone complimented his baking.

"Of course, Princess," he said with a wink. Shayla stepped forward and gave him a tight hug.

"I'm going to miss you, Bobby," she whispered and squeezed him a little tighter before letting him go. He held up another paper bag that was much smaller than the other.

"_This_ is the special cookies and brownies I made for you guys. Didn't have enough for muffins," he said as he tossed the bag to Tig. Tig laughed triumphantly and opened the bag to peer inside.

"Thanks, Bobby! You're the man!" he said cheerfully and took out a cookie.

"Bobby!" Gemma scolded like a mother.

"Go, go, go, go," Bobby said in a hurried tone as he practically forced her into the truck. She shut the door and looked down at Bobby who was smiling at her. Shayla hurried and started the truck and started to on her way out of the parking lot before Gemma could take away their goodies. She bit her lip as a little anxiety gripped her.

She had done it. She had managed to leave. She wasn't sure if she was going to be able to do it or not. She talked of big game, but there was still that little whisper in the back of her mind that said she really wasn't going to be leaving. But here she was leaving and the whisper in the back of her head was silent.

"Are we there yet?" Tig asked as he munched on half of a pot cookie. Shayla slammed on the brakes.

"Get out."


	2. Chapter 2

It was Shayla's idea to go ahead and drive all the way through. She just wanted to hurry up and get the whole trip over and done with so she could get those guns out of her sight and out of her mind. The trip had left Shayla and Tig at each other's throats. No two human beings needed to be locked up in a small truck like that for that long.

They followed the map to the address and when Shayla first saw the house, she felt a surge of excitement shoot through her body. It almost looked like a gingerbread house. All that was missing was bright colors that rimmed the edges of the house. It was a two story loft house with two bedrooms and a bathroom. The yard was decent sized and actually had grass that she could mow.

There were a couple motorcycles and a black van sitting in her driveway. She was glad that her house was a little ways off from prying eyes because the scene before her looked really suspicious. Tig backed the truck into the driveway so they could get straight to unloading. Shayla went ahead and sent a text to Clay to let him know that they had arrived and that she would call him once they got the guns.

She slid out of the truck, already feeling the temperature difference. It was going to take a while to get used to the weather in Tacoma. She felt she was going to regret the fact that she was taking fall classes. She reached back inside the truck and grabbed a flashlight just in case they hadn't left any bulbs for her in her new place. She heard Tig greeting his fellow Sons so Shayla took it upon herself to go ahead and get everything over with so she could go to sleep.

She made her way around the back of the truck because she really wasn't in the mood to meet anyone in the Sons right now. She was cranky. She was tired. She was coming down off a twenty hour sugar high not to mention they had run out of weed about three hours before. And she was certain she looked like shit.

She walked up onto the front porch of the house and opened the front door. She shined the light inside and she gasped. There was instantly someone behind her and a hand on the small of her back.

"What is it, Princess?" Tig asked poking his head into the house. "Oh my god." They stepped inside and looked around. She took note of the hum of the refrigerator to her right as she stepped into the house. At least her power was on. She heard Tig try the lightswitch but nothing happened. She sighed as she scanned the room.

There were heaps of trash everywhere. There was a stench in the air that made the whole house smell like filth. There was cobwebs everywhere. There was a thick layer of dust surrounding the baseboards. There were holes all over the walls making it look like there had been a bad fight in the house. And the walls were a tacky white color all around.

"This looks nothing like the photos," Shayla said stamping her foot. They went around the house flicking all of the light switches to see if there were any bulbs. They were happy to find that there was a light in the living room, but they could see why. The stairs that led up to the second floor was the only way to the light. Someone was going to have to lean over the edge of the banister just to reach it. They were all working so she striked that off her list of shit to do.

"What the fuck," she whined as she sank down onto a bare spot on the steps. "It wasn't supposed to be like this. I don't have any cleaning supplies or anything. There's no stove, no washer or dryer, and I'm not seeing any ducts for central heat and air. That was all in the listing. It was supposed to be ready to move into. This is not ready to be moved into," Shayla ranted a little before she leaned forward.

"Yeah, this sucks, Princess, but listen. We can handle this, but there is something a little more important we gotta handle first," Tig said in a low voice. She heard footsteps of the other Sons coming in from outside.

"I can't bring my stuff in here with all this shit," she said motioning around her. She knew she was out of line talking back to Tig like that, but the house was an absolute mess. It was hard to tell what kind of little critters were within the trash skittering about. "It wasn't supposed to be like this." She saw a figure step next to her on the floor and leaned against the railing. Shayla finally looked him in the eye. He was pretty attractive for an older man. She wanted to say his name was Jason, but she was stoned whenever Clay told her about him and she couldn't remember for sure.

"Well, the place looks like shit," he said in a teasing manner. Shayla narrowed her eyes at the man. He thought he was funny. He wasn't funny. "So, I'm going to tell you what we're going to do. We're going to take you two and the truck back to the clubhouse and we'll get what we need out of there now. We'll let you use the van to get everything you need to get this place cleaned out and when you're done, we'll send some guys out to help you move your stuff in." Shayla looked to Tig for a split second before she nodded.

"Thank you," she said in a small voice. She was just ready to crawl into a bed and sleep like nothing had happened. She was just glad that it wasn't too late. Just around ten or so in the evening, but she felt like she hadn't slept in a year. When she got back to the clubhouse, she was going straight to bed. That was all there was to it. Shayla stood and walked down to Tig who let her pass him on the stairs before he followed her down.

"I'll make a list of everything that I'm going to need when we get there." They loaded up in the van. They allowed Shayla to sit in the front which was fine with her because she snuggled up under Tig's kutte staring out into space. She felt a sudden wave of exhaustion swoop down on her. It wasn't supposed to be like that. She was supposed to be moving her stuff into her new house so the Sons could get their guns and then she could kick them out so she could spend her first night in her new house undisturbed.

She didn't pay attention to any of the roads they took. She didn't take in any of the street names or landmarks to let her know where she was. She heard the strike of a lighter and there was a sudden flash of light that illuminated the van. That was when she smelled it.

Weed.

She lifted her head up almost as if instinct and looked around for the culprit before there was a joint that was handed to her over her shoulder.

"Smoke this and quit looking so depressing," she heard Tig say behind her. She grinned and took it out of his fingers before taking a hit herself. She let it sit in her lungs for a bit before letting it out slowly. She took another hit before offering it to the driver. He grabbed it without even looking. He put it to his lips. Tig began talking to the man in the front seat. Apparently, his name was Happy. She was curious as to whether it was a nickname or if it was his real name.

His voice was hard and gravelly. His eyes intense with how focused he was. His features were set as if frozen in a permanent scowl, but she did catch him grinning or smirking at times. Tig seemed really familiar with him as he asked about Happy's mother and her health.

It wasn't too long before they found their way to the SAMTAC clubhouse. When she walked in, she let out a little sigh. She wasn't expecting the bar to look like the one back home, but she was hoping it somewhat smelled like the bar back home. It wasn't even close. Tig put his arm around her shoulders and led her over to the bar and sat her down. Happy stepped around the other side of the bar and grabbed beers for everyone.

"Thank you," she said as he slid one in front of her. "Is there a pen and a piece of paper back there by any chance?" Happy stepped back and opened a drawer behind the counter. A legal pad was laid in front of her. The front page was nothing but cute little cartoons of people having sex with each other in different positions. Shayla rolled her eyes.

"Men," she grumbled flipping the page over. She began to write things down quickly, but after three things were written down, she stopped and laid the pen down. Tig and Happy frowned at her then leaned in to see what she wrote.

_Gas_

_Matches_

_Alibi _

Tig chuckled and shook his head. Happy went to chuckle, but when he brought his eyes up to meet hers, it was clear that she wasn't joking. He smirked at her.

"You like fire, little girl?" he asked her in a low voice. The smile that grew across her lips and the sparkle that appeared in her eye answered his question. Tig nudged Shayla's side.

"Yeah, a little too much, if you ask me. This is Shayla by the way and she's a pain in my ass," Tig said in a serious tone, but something told Happy that it didn't carry much weight with Shayla. She glared at him.

"At least I didn't get too stoned to drive!" she snapped. Tig sighed and ran his hand through his hair.

"I didn't know that shit was that strong!" he said as if he had said it a million times. Shayla took a sip of her beer and rolled her eyes.

"Bobby told you it was his best shit! What did you expect?" she reasoned then scoffed.

"Ass hole," she mumbled under her breath.

"Bitch," Tig rebutted. Tig reached over and pointed at the paper.

"Try again," he ordered. Shayla stared down at the paper for a moment.

"I can make it look like an accident," she attempted to persuade. Tig shook his head.

"Try again, Princess," he demanded again. Shayla tore off the page to a fresh page and started writing things down again. Tig watched her for a moment to make sure that she was putting more sensible things down. Their attention was pulled outside whenever someone walked in carrying a box that had their guns inside. She knew because they were taped with a different colored tape.

She sipped at her beer as she stared down at the list she was working on as Tig and Happy went to help haul in the guns. She knew better than to try and help them with anything. It was club business, but she didn't like that they were possibly going through all of her things just to make sure they had gotten all of the guns.

She started mindlessly doodling on the paper as they carried everything in. It started off as just a psychedelic mushroom, but once that was done, she figured it could use a little more. She gave the mushroom a little door with a tiny little mailbox with a walkway that led down to a little dirt road. She put a window at the top of the mushroom. She went back and put a little more detail into some flower beds that she decided the walkway needed. Then she drew a tiny little fairy at the top of the mushroom straddling the window. Its wings were too small for its body and it had big eyes that were filled with wonder. It had on a robe worthy of medieval magicians that was too big for its tiny little body and its hood was down around its shoulders giving the little fairy an exaggerated innocent look.

She leaned back to admire her handy work and looked back to see where the boys were at. They had just started loading everything back into the truck. She sighed and went to reach for her beer, but when she lifted it, she discovered it empty. She pouted and sat it back on the bar. She stared at it for a bit as she silently cursed at the bottle for being empty. She looked back down at her drawing. She began to aimlessly trace over the lines making them a little thicker than darker than they were before.

She decided to add a little more to the picture so she started off with a little inground pond that was near the little mushroom. She made it look a little more natural with tall grasses around it. She started drawing a little fishing pole in the fairy's hands just as Happy came back around the bar and Tig sat down next to her. She didn't even acknowledge their presence as she carefully drew the pole. Happy placed another beer in front of her and she jerked. She looked at Happy then to Tig with wide eyes.

"Sorry. I guess I zoned out," she said grabbing her beer. "Thank you for the beer." Happy narrowed his eyes at the girl. Honestly, he was a little shocked that she was so polite. He knew her family well and they were anything but polite. He nodded back to her in response then looked down at her drawing.

"That's pretty good. How long you been drawing?" Happy asked as he poured a shot of whiskey for Tig and himself.

"All of my life," she said simply.

"Happy is the best tattoo artist on the West Coast," Tig explained plainly as he tossed his shot back. Shayla's eyes lit up as she looked to Happy.

"Really?" Happy nodded to her. Shayla leaned back a little and went to throw her leg up onto the bar, but she nearly fell off her barstool. Happy shook his head at her as Tig reached out to balance her.

"Jesus, Princess, can you at least wait a week before you end up in the hospital or jail?" he all but pleaded the girl. Happy shot a look to his friend then looked back to Shayla. Shayla ignored him as she managed to get her leg up onto the bar without falling over and lifted her pant leg. Happy looked down at her leg and frowned. The tattoo was just simply awful. Happy wasn't even sure what it was supposed to be. It covered her entire calf muscle from her knee down to her ankle. The lines were uneven and the skin looked like it was still scarred from the tattoo. It was clear the artist who did that tattoo had no clue what they were doing.

"What's it supposed to be?" he inquired. Shayla sighed and leaned her forehead against her knee.

"The Kraken," she said in a disappointed tone. Happy leaned a little closer to the tattoo thinking maybe if he got a closer look, he would be able to see The Kraken somewhere in that tattoo, but it just made it look more like shit.

"That's not what The Kraken looks like," he stated. Shayla rolled her eyes while Tig chuckled.

"Yeah, no shit. Do you think you can fix it?" she asked hopeful. Happy tilted his head a little as he ran his fingers around the tattoo.

"Oh yeah. Who did the tattoo anyways?" Happy asked as she pulled her leg back and put down her pant leg before putting it back under the bar. Shayla grinned as she gave a breathy laugh.

"Someone who is missing a couple teeth because of what he did to this tattoo," she said simply. Happy's eyes narrowed in curiosity, then he shifted his gaze to Tig who cackled.

"Yeah," he started as he wrapped his arm around Shayla's shoulder. "You beat the shit out of him." Happy grinned at her as she started finishing up with the fishing pole. He watched her as she drew the line going down into the water and she put a little bobber on top of the water for an extra effect. Then she drew a small fish jumping out of the water. She bit her lip as she admired her drawing for a minute before she pushed the legal pad away from her.

Happy turned the legal pad around to look at the list she had made. He added a few things himself and slid the paper back to her. She rolled her eyes at him.

"Is my list to your liking now?" she asked in a teasing tone. Happy grinned at her with a nod. Shayla tore the new paper out and folded it.

"Can we go…" Shayla went to ask Tig, but she paused when she noticed he was eyeballing a stray Crow Eater walking through the bar. Shayla's gaze shifted back to Happy. He was watching the Crow Eater as well as she wiggled her ass in her little booty shorts and not much else. Tig called out to her and she walked over to them obediently. The Crow Eater slid into Tig's lap as her arms slid around his neck. Tig squeezed at her hips while giving her a lustful stare.

"So, I guess I'm going to have to find somewhere to sleep tonight?" Shayla said in a bored tone. She knew he was wound up and a Crow Eater would be the perfect way for him to relax, but she was in a strange place and he was the only familiar thing she had at the moment.

"You'd be awesome if you did," Tig offered as his eyes never wavered from the Crow Eater.

"I'd be awesome no matter what," Shayla reasoned.

"That's debatable," Tig said with a shrug. Shayla grinned as she finished off her beer.

"You can have my room for the night," Happy said as he grabbed her empty bottle and tossed it in the trash. He slid another one across the bar to her. Shayla shot a questioning look to Tig, but he stayed focused on the Crow Eater. "I have to make a run and I won't be back until tomorrow evening." Tig pushed the Crow Eater off his lap and stood. He looked down to Shayla.

"See? Problem solved. See you tomorrow, Princess." Tig tossed a couple joints down on the bar as he walked away. Shayla sighed again. She felt so tired, but she couldn't bring herself to move from the barstool. She at least had to finish her beer. She ran her hands over her face a couple times. She began to think about everything she would have to handle the next day. She wasn't that much of a morning person and Tig definitely wasn't a morning person, but they were going to have to suck it up.

They would have to start with all of the trash on the floors. She had put contractor trash bags on the list so they weren't using as many bags. She would have to haul the trash to the dump. She had no idea where the dump was or if they even had one within a reasonable distance. She didn't know where any stores were. She looked up at Happy who had started wiping down the bar sometime during her thought process.

"You wouldn't be able to give me directions to places like the dump or an appliance store or anything like that, would you?" she asked. Happy stopped wiping the bar down and stared at her a moment. His gaze was intense, but he wasn't angry with her. He tossed the towel he was using in the sink as he walked towards her. He opened the drawer he had retrieved the legal pad out of and dug around for a bit. He pulled out a map of Tacoma and tossed it on the bar. She went to reach for it but Happy grabbed it first. He opened it up and placed it down in front of Shayla. Happy watched her shoulders hunch forward as she scanned the map.

"This place is bigger than Charming," she said in a complaining tone. Happy grinned at her.

"Everywhere is bigger than Charming," he reasoned with her. She cackled reaching for one of the joints left behind by Tig.

"I'm not high enough for this," she said putting the joint between her lips and lit it. Happy narrowed his eyes at her as she lifted the corner of the map to get the pen and legal pad. Once she was ready, Happy searched the map then pointed to a spot.

"This is the clubhouse." He told her how to get to a store where she could get contractor bags and other cleaning supplies so they could get started on the house. He then told her how to get back to her place from there. He reached behind the bar and grabbed a card. He handed it to Shayla. It was a business card for a trash service. That was another problem that she was going to be able to mark off her list.

"Thank you," she said slipping the card into her pocket. "I'm also going to need at least a stove. Tig will kill me if he doesn't get his meatloaf tomorrow." She glanced over her shoulder to the front doors. "A stove probably won't fit in the back of that van."

"We have a Prospect with a truck. Just give him a call and he'll go pick it up for you." Shayla chuckled as Happy jotted his number down on the paper of directions Shayla was writing down.

"You gotta love the Prospects," she said shaking her head. She handed Happy the joint. He took it from her and started smoking it himself. Shayla started folding the map back up. "Thanks for all this, Happy. You really have no idea how much weight you took off my shoulders." Happy just grinned at her. "And thanks for letting me use your dorm tonight." She paused for a second. "I'm not like… going to catch an STD from your bed or anything, am I?" Happy chuckled at her as he handed the joint back to her.

"No, I put fresh sheets on there this morning." Shayla narrowed her eyes at him and Happy could tell that she wanted to say something to him, but she kept her mouth shut.

"Well, thank you. Tig is going to be hard enough to deal with tomorrow just because I'm waking him up at the ass crack of dawn so we can get this shit over with." Happy grunted at her and moved away from her so he could start wiping down the countertops again. She and Happy didn't speak again until another patched member she hadn't met yet walked in to let him know that they were getting ready to head out.

"I'll be out in a second," he told the man and the man left them alone again. Happy reached in his pocket and pulled out a key. He handed it to Shayla.

"You leave it just like you found it," he said in a low threatening voice. Shayla nodded her head at him as she took the key from him. She shoved it in her pocket. Happy turned to walk out from behind the bar so he could leave to transport the guns. Luckily, since Tig and Shayla drove all the way through instead of stopping for the night had put the shipment arriving early so they weren't really pressed for time.

"I'll come get my key when I get back," he told her over his shoulder. Shayla nodded.

"Be careful out there tonight," she said and Happy stopped. He looked back over his shoulder to her then nodded his head before taking his leave. That was when she realized he hadn't told her which dorm was his. She didn't even know which one Tig was in. She bit her lip.

Shit.

She slid out of the barstool and started walking towards the dorms. All of the doors were plain. There was no indication on which dorm belonged to who.

She heard what she assumed was Tig and that Crow Eater going at it behind one of the doors. She kept going wondering which door was Happy's then she was certain she had found it. The door had a sticker of a happy face about eye level. She reached in her pocket to grab the key and put it into the lock. She heard it unlock and she let herself in. She flicked on the light and she looked around.

Usually, the dorms smelled like pussy, booze, and cigarette smoke, but Happy's dorm smelled so clean. Everything was just so. She was almost afraid to go in any farther. She walked in slowly and went over to sit on the bed. She sat on the edge and bounced to test its comfort. She shrugged her shoulders. She supposed she had slept in worse beds in her life. She walked back over to the door and turned off the light. She got in bed and set the alarm on her phone before snuggling down into the sheets. She fell asleep a lot easier than expected.


	3. Chapter 3

Happy had arrived back in town during the early evening and went straight to Shayla's house to pick up his key. It was the only one he had. He really didn't want to go out of his way to go to Shayla's. He was looking forward to going back to the clubhouse to grab a shower and maybe a nap before he went home to sleep off last night's travels.

The run had went smoothly enough, but he was getting too old for the overnighters. When he arrived at Shayla's house, he was a little relieved to see only Tig and Shayla there. He really didn't want to put up with too many people. He would be able to get in and out without much fuss. The front door was standing wide open and he could hear music playing inside. He didn't bother with knocking since the door was open.

He had to admit, the house looked fantastic. All of the trash was gone and all of the cobwebs looked like they had been swept. The house smelled mostly clean now. The floors looked like they had been mopped and furniture and boxes had been brought in. Some of the boxes had been opened and some of them had been flattened since they were empty. The refrigerator door was open and he could see Shayla's feet and part of her legs on the other side. She looked like she was on her knees head first in the fridge. There was a bucket filled with nasty looking water sitting just in his sight.

The very sight of it made his OCD flare up.

He stepped a little farther in, but stopped when Shayla's ass came into view. She must have been scrubbing the inside of the refrigerator judging by how it was wiggling. He didn't see or hear Tig anywhere in the house. Shayla finally sat back so she could dunk the rag she was using to scrub the inside of the fridge and that was when she spotted Happy. She jerked with a gasp then glared at him.

"Jesus, Happy, you scared the shit out of me," she said running the back of her forearm across her forehead. Happy chuckled taking the opportunity to step the rest of the way in. The kitchen had been scrubbed and it looked like she had gotten her stove already, but she had yet to get her washer and dryer. He looked inside the fridge and was disgusted by what he saw inside. There was thick black and brown sludge all over the bottom and the sides. Shayla had cleaned about half way down in, but she still had a long way to go.

"That's disgusting," Happy said with a scowl. Shayla chuckled and shook her head.

"You should have seen the bathroom. There was a raccoon under the sink," she said with a sigh. Happy blinked at her a couple times. How the hell had a raccoon ended up in the bathroom? "But surprisingly, there are no roaches, but there are a few mice that I set traps out for and the ant problem won't be a problem in a few months because of the weather. So there's that." Happy hummed.

"Where's Tig?" he asked as he walked through the kitchen and glanced into another open door. It was the bedroom. Her bed had already been set up, but there were no sheets on it yet. There were a few boxes laying around labeled bedroom, but none of them had been opened. There was a door right next to it so he stepped in to find the bathroom. The smell of cleaner in the bathroom nearly choked him it was so strong. It was almost as if she had given the bathroom a shock treatment. The bathtub was full of water and some kind of cleaner and the shelves to the fridge were soaking inside. The crisper drawers were sitting next to the bathtub waiting for their turn to be washed. He was afraid to pick them up and look inside to see how bad they looked.

"He called Clay to tell him how bad the landlord screwed me over. Clay told him to go have "words" with the landlord," she said using air quotes. Happy grunted in response. Shayla went back to scrubbing the inside of the refrigerator. Happy stepped back into the kitchen making note of the dishes in the sink and leaned against the counter so he could watch her ass wiggle as she scrubbed.

"How long has he been gone?" Happy asked.

"About three hours. I think he's taking his sweet time so he doesn't have to help me clean." Her voice reverberated because of the opened fridge. She sat back again with a loud huff and stared inside the fridge for a second and shook her head. "We could have just burned this fucking place to the ground. It would have been much easier." She went back to scrubbing.

"You want some help?" Happy offered. So much for just picking up the key and leaving.

"What?" Shayla asked backing out of the fridge just far enough to look him in the eye.

"Do you want some help?" he asked again. Shayla sat back again and smiled at him.

"You don't have to do that," she said. Happy grinned.

"I don't have anything better to do," he said with a shrug. Except shower, eat, and sleep.

"Thanks, Happy. Uhm," she said closing her eyes to think. "There's beer in that cooler, but we're going to need more before the night is over. I'll text Tig and tell him to grab more on the way back if he doesn't get his ass arrested." Happy scoffed at her remark. "I was late getting the meatloaf in the oven so it's still going to be a while before it's done. There's plenty if you'd like to stay for food. There's going to be potatoes and green beans with it too. Getting this fridge in FDA approved regulations is priority right now so you could start scrubbing the shelves in the bathtub if you'd like." Happy walked into the bathroom as an answer.

Every once in a while, he would hear Shayla start singing with the song that was on the radio. She wasn't that bad of a singer, but there was no way she would be able to make a living of it. He was just glad she had a decent taste in music. By the time he had finished the shelves and drawers, the meatloaf in the oven was making his stomach twist in hunger. No wonder Tig wanted it so bad. He left the shelves out to dry and walked out of the bathroom to see where Shayla had gotten on the fridge.

She was in the kitchen peeling and chopping potatoes for dinner. He walked over to the fridge and opened it. It was almost done, but Shayla had to continue with dinner. He picked up the dirty water and carried it outside to dump. He put fresh water and cleaner in it. He grabbed a beer out of the cooler and chugged it before kneeling in front of the fridge and started scrubbing it.

"Happy, you don't have to do that," she fussed at him. "I'll do it when I'm done with the potatoes." Happy continued to scrub without answering her. He could feel her eyes on him for a moment before she got back to peeling potatoes. By the time Shayla had finished peeling and chopping up all the potatoes, Happy was finished with the fridge. Shayla stood next to Happy as she admired how clean the fridge had become.

"You're officially my favorite, Happy. This deserves a joint. Let's go," she said walking into the living room and practically threw herself on the couch. Happy sat down carefully on the other end of the couch just as she was lighting a joint. She took a couple hits before she handed it to Happy. "I think I remember seeing you a few times around the clubhouse down in Charming. I don't think we were ever properly introduced until last night, though." Shayla shrugged her shoulder nonchalantly. "Even if it was technically a shitty introduction." Happy chuckled as he looked down at the joint in his hand.

He had seen her around a few times as well. It was normally just him sitting outside the garage and she would walk across the lot to go into the office for a bit and then she would leave. She never paid anyone outside of SAMCRO much attention. She never approached anyone and if someone outside of SAMCRO approached her, one of the SAMCRO members would always intervene. It gave her a certain aura that she was untouchable so he never paid her much mind either. He wasn't interested in a pussy if he couldn't fuck it.

Movement caught his eye and he looked to find Shayla's hand outstretched towards him so he could shake it. He stared at her hand for a bit before his gaze went up to her face. She stayed like she was. Happy slowly reached his hand out and grabbed hers.

"I'm Shayla Teller," she said.

"Happy Lowman." They let go of each other's hands and Happy passed her the joint back. There was a truck that pulled into the driveway and they heard Tig get out. He was fussing at the Prospect inside. Apparently, the Prospect didn't know how to drive. Shayla giggled at some of the insults Tig was calling him and Happy grinned. It would seem that Shayla enjoyed listening to the Prospects catching heat from patched members. Tig sent the Prospect away before he stomped into the house. He took a quick look around and nodded his head in approval.

"Did I miss anything?" he asked dropping a case of beer next to the fridge. He opened it to see if it was clean.

"Yes, you did," Shayla snapped at him.

"Oh yeah? And what's that, Princess?" he asked as he tossed the case of beer on a shelf inside the fridge and turned to put the ones in the cooler in the fridge too.

"Happy becoming my favorite," she said simply. Tig gasped in a dramatic fashion.

"I thought I was your favorite," he retorted.

"Was being the operative word," Shayla said back as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. Tig turned into the living room and walked around the coffee table so he could sit in the floor in front of Shayla.

"Well, that's a damned shame because I brought you a present," he said opening up his beer. Shayla perked up a little then leaned forward to place her chin on Tig's shoulder.

"Really? What did ya bring me?" she asked.

"Well, we went and talked to your landlord and he had what you could call a "change of heart"." Tig reached in his pocket and pulled out a wad of cash. He reached it back and smashed it into Shayla's face. She jerked back quickly.

"Ew, Tig, it's hard to tell how many stripper's ass cracks that's been in!" She grabbed the money and fanned it out. She squealed and she danced in place a bit. Happy didn't blame her one bit. There was a lot of money in her hands. She threw her arms around Tig's neck and gave him a loud kiss on the cheek.

"Sorry, Happy, Tig's my favorite again," Shayla said then kissed Tig's cheek again.

"Damn right, I am," Tig said taking a sip of his beer. Shayla leaned back and counted the money another time. She did a little dance again before she leaned forward and hugged Tig's neck once more.

"I'm getting a washer and dryer," she sang out as she leaned back.

"And you're paying your credit card bill," Tig scolded over his shoulder. Shayla rolled her eyes.

"Yes, daddy," she said in a mocking tone as Tig took another drink of beer. He groaned a little.

"Call me daddy one more time," he growled seductively.

"No," Shayla snapped slapping the back of his head gently.

"Tease," Tig said as he dug in his pocket for his cigarettes. Happy watched the two of them with amusement. Tig and Shayla bickered like an old married couple. He knew that she wasn't his Old Lady because he had taken a Crow Eater to bed instead of her and Tig would have to be crazy to bed a Crow Eater over Shayla. She certainly had a twisted sense of humor and Happy liked it.

"So, what's up with dinner?" Tig asked. No sooner than he did, the sound of water boiling over and hitting the eye of the stove filled the living room.

"I'm fucking it up," Shayla said as she stood from the couch and walked into the kitchen to take care of the potatoes.

"Well, hurry up, bitch, I'm hungry," Tig snapped.

"Yeah, me too!" Happy joined in. The sizzling sound rapidly evaporating water stopped.

"Now, listen the both of you," Shayla said coming back into the living room. "If you two don't stop, I won't let you have any."

"Oh, come on, now you're just being unreasonable," Happy teased. Shayla put her hands on her hips.

"No ganging up on me," she demanded. Happy smirked at her.

"What's wrong, sweetheart? Afraid you might like it?" Shayla paused at Happy's words and her eyes shifted over to Tig quickly before settling back on Happy. She narrowed her eyes as a grin spread across her lips.

"Wouldn't you like to know," she said in a teasing tone then walked back into the kitchen. Happy watched her until she was out of his sight.

"See what I mean? Tease!" Tig said throwing his hands up in the air then he pulled himself up onto the couch.

"You love it!" Shayla called out from the kitchen. Tig shrugged his shoulder.

"Yeah, you got me there." It wasn't too much longer before dinner was done and Shayla had even made plates for Tig and Happy both. They threw in a movie to watch while they ate. Shayla's meatloaf was by far the best meatloaf Happy had ever had. He wasn't that much of a fan of meatloaf, but he would kill for some of Shayla's meatloaf.

Happy had laid claim to Shayla's loveseat. He was stretched out as far as he could get as he watched the movie. He was trying to keep his eyes open, but he knew it was a losing battle. He had been up for too long and it was starting to really get to him. He hoped Shayla didn't mind him crashing there because he was about to whether she liked it or not.

Movement caught his eye so Happy looked over. Tig was getting situated on the couch so that he could lay down. Shayla was looking at him through tired eyes as if she was waiting for him to get done. Tig left enough space between him and the back of the couch for Shayla to crawl in and lay down next to him. She snuggled into his side and covered her body was his kutte as best she could then wrapped her arm around his waist. Tig waited for her to get comfortable and covered with his kutte before he rested his arm around her waist.

Tig chuckled minutes later catching Happy's attention once more.

"Poor thing is all tuckered out," he said looking down at Shayla. Tig moved around to where he could sit up on the couch. Shayla grunted in protest to his movements, but didn't do much else. "Come on, Princess, time for bed." Shayla groaned then rolled over to where her back was facing him.

"Hey!" Tig snapped as he slapped her ass. "Go to bed!"

"I am in bed! Leave me alone!" Shayla screamed and still didn't move.

"You're in my bed, so git!" Tig yelled at her.

"Oh my god, Tig, shut the fuck up!" She still didn't move.

"That's it, I'm carrying you," Tig said standing up. He reached down and started to put his arms under her so he could lift her up, but Shayla started slapping at him and wiggling out of his grasp.

"I'm up! I'm up! Jesus fuck!" she yelled sitting up on the couch. She glared up at Tig as she stood.

"Goodnight, Princess," he said leaning down. He kissed her cheek which she returned.

"Goodnight, Tig." She turned and walked into her room. Happy could hear her rummaging around in her bedroom for a bit then heard her walk back in. She tossed a blanket on Tig who immediately started spreading it out. Happy felt a blanket fall on his stomach and he glanced down at it before looking up at Shayla. She leaned down and kissed his cheek as well. "Goodnight, Happy." He watched her as she walked back into her room and shut the door.

Happy sat up on the loveseat so he could take his boots off before he stretched back out on the loveseat. Happy knew one thing was certain, Shayla was a very interesting woman. He had a feeling that things were going to be pretty interesting in Tacoma while she was there.


	4. Chapter 4

Shayla woke up the next morning feeling so much better. She was able to sleep in her bed all covered up with her blankets in her house. She looked at all the boxes that was all over her room. The day before, every time she looked into her bedroom, she would get upset upon seeing the boxes, but she wasn't going to let it upset her today. She needed to be proud of herself. She was able to get everything cleaned up and looking somewhat livable. All she needed was a washer and dryer, some new walls, and a fresh coat of paint and she was done.

School didn't start for her for another two weeks so at least she had that going for her. After school started, however, Tig would be leaving to go back to Charming. He just wanted to make sure that she was well taken care of before he left. Then she would truly be on her own. She took a deep breath as she pushed that thought from her head and sat up in her bed. She felt surprisingly refreshed because normally she felt like hell in the mornings.

She got out of bed and grabbed herself some clothes to wear for the day before she walked into her bathroom. She grabbed some towels from a box and sat everything on the counter. She stepped into the kitchen and started rummaging through the boxes in there as she searched for the coffee pot. It should have already been unpacked, but Tig had taken off on her the day before. She found it packed away with coffee and filters and put it on the counter.

She made some coffee then went into the bathroom so she could shower while the coffee brewed. She still smelled like a janitor's closet. She was hoping to catch a shower before she went to bed the night before, but she had fallen asleep before that could happen. It had been a very long time that she had been asleep before midnight and up before noon.

She wanted to be able to take a nice, long, hot shower, but she had too much stuff to get done still. So, she settled for a quick shower before she jumped out and got ready for the day. She left her hair up in a towel as she got ready. She made sure that she had put her deodorant and perfume on and brushed her teeth. She could hear either Tig or Happy moving around in the kitchen behind her as she finished up.

She gathered up everything dirty in the floor and carried it out to toss in her room and walked over to a box that she had sitting on her dresser. Tig and Happy was moving around the kitchen making their coffee. She dug through it for a moment until she found her make up bag. She carried it into the living room and sat down on the couch cross legged so she could do her makeup. Tig walked into the living room and sat a cup of coffee for Shayla down on the coffee table in front of her before he took his place on the couch.

"So what are we doing for breakfast? I need to go buy groceries," Shayla asked as she started applying her makeup. Tig sighed and he lounged back on the couch.

"I don't know. It's too early to think," Tig said closing his eyes. Shayla shrugged her shoulders. She looked to Happy who was sitting quietly with his coffee.

"Is there any good diners or anything like that around here?" she inquired. Happy shrugged his shoulders and told her about a couple that weren't too far away from them.

"Nah, fuck that. I'm not eating any shitty diner food," Tig snapped from his spot. Shayla grinned looking at him before applying more makeup.

"I spoiled you," she said as she looked around in her compact mirror to make sure that she had applied her makeup evenly.

"Damned straight. Your stuffed french toast is to die for," Tig said still lounging back on the couch. Shayla shook her head. She glanced over at Happy who was eyeing her curiously.

"I take it you want stuffed french toast?" she said grabbing her eye makeup.

"Oh, hell yeah, stuffed french toast sounds awesome right now," Tig said scratching his chest. Shayla rolled her eyes again and looked over to Happy who was eyeing her with curiosity.

"Stoners that can't cook doesn't deserve to smoke it," Shayla explained simply. Happy grunted with a nod of his head.

"Makes sense," Happy said with a shrug. Shayla hummed as she gathered up all of the makeup on the table and stood from the couch. Happy watched her as she walked back into her room. She was wearing a pair of tight pants with a loose fitting t-shirt that covered half of her ass as she walked, but that didn't stop him from watching. She walked into her bedroom. Moments later she walked back out with hair products cradled in her arms.

She sat back down on the couch and took the towel out of her hair. Happy watched her out of the corner of his eye as she styled her hair. It was almost mesmerizing to watch. Shayla was attractive, he could see that through the bruises on her face and her busted lip. The makeup covered it up tremendously, but some of the bruising was still visible around her eye where it seemed the blow actually landed. He was curious as to where the bruise came from, but he didn't ask.

With the way her attitude was, she probably deserved it. He was a little surprised that she was able to talk to Tig the way she was without him getting angry. Happy was aware that she wasn't a Crow Eater, but she wasn't an Old Lady either. Hell, even as an Old Lady there were things that she would say to Tig that would earn her a good slap to put her back in her place.

He did wonder what their relationship was. It was clear they weren't together in a lover's sense, but the way they talked to each other, it would seem they were at least fucking. But if that was the case, then why did Tig sleep on the couch while Shayla slept alone? If Happy was the one fucking Shayla, he would be inside her any chance he could get and he knew how Tig was and he would too. Not to mention that he had taken a Crow Eater to bed instead of her.

"Do you have any plans for the day, Happy?" Shayla asked as she looked herself over in a handheld mirror she held out in front of her.

"I have to go into the shop for a while and finish up a tattoo," Happy said staring down at his coffee cup.

"If you're done soon enough, do you want to come over for stuffed french toast?" Happy shook his head.

"Nah, this tattoo is going to take a while. Someone just got patched in and I'm doing the Reaper on his back." Shayla hummed as she finished up with her hair. She stood from the couch and went into the kitchen. She started rummaging around. Happy stood to grab himself another cup of coffee before he took off, but came face to face with Shayla. She was holding two plastic tupperware bowls in her hands.

"So you can have some lunch later," she offered it up to him with a smile on her face. Happy grinned at her before grabbing the tupperware from her hands.

"Hey, you better not be giving all my food away," Tig snapped finally coming to on the couch.

"There's plenty left for you, you bottomless pit!" she snapped at Tig over her shoulder. "Besides, he won't be getting my stuffed french toast so the least I could do is give Happy some food so he doesn't get hungry later thinking about my french toast." Happy narrowed his eyes at her and she grinned back.

"Yeah, we need to get on that," Tig said stepping into the kitchen. "Like right now." Happy was pretty curious as to how Shayla's stuffed french toast tasted for Tig to be making such a big deal about it.

"Ew, I'm not taking you out smelling like that. I can still smell that Crow Eater on your dick," Shayla hissed as she walked into the kitchen.

"I showered the morning after," Tig defended glaring at the woman, but Shayla crossed her arms returning the glare.

"You missed a spot. Now go wash your balls," she said pointing to the bathroom. Tig grumbled then snatched up his duffle bag then walked into the bathroom. Shayla sighed and shook her head. "I swear it's like taking care of a three year old."

"I have to go," Happy said heading towards the door. Happy was wanting a shower himself and he really had to get going if he was going to be making that appointment on time. "I'll make a few sketches of your tattoo and we'll see which one you like the best." Shayla turned to Happy and tilted her head in curiosity. "The Kraken tattoo?" Happy reminded motioning down to her leg.

"Oh yeah, I forgot I showed you that. Thank you, Happy, I really do appreciate you fixing that for me. I haven't been able to wear shorts because it's so embarrassing to have a tattoo look like that where everyone can see."

"You would be surprised on how often I hear that same exact story," Happy mumbled as he walked into the kitchen to drop his cup in the sink. He sat the food Shayla had packed up for him so he could wash his coffee cup before he headed out.

"I'm sure you do," Shayla said with a chuckle as she lit up a joint. "But if I had a nickel for every time someone asked me what the hell that tattoo was, I would be a millionaire. And you really don't have to wash that. I'll get it when me and Tig get back. I'm going to have plenty to wash after I make the french toast for Tig anyways." Happy shrugged as he washed the cup thoroughly before rinsing it.

"Now you have one less thing to wash," he said simply as he dried his hands with a cloth then grabbed the food that Shayla had packed up for him. Happy heard Shayla give a dreamy sigh, then glanced at her. He was taken aback by the sparkle in her eye.

No woman had looked at him like that ever. Not even the Crow Eaters that hung around the clubhouses. Usually they just sat on his lap and ran their hand across his chest giving him one of those slutty smiles of theirs. There was always something else in their eyes, but he wasn't certain as to what it was. Well, he couldn't say that because he knew exactly what it was. He had seen it in the eyes of nearly everyone that he locked eyes with that wasn't a patched member.

Fear.

And here she was giving him "goo goo eyes" like he was a puppy.

"Why can't all the other guys be like you? Usually it looks like I had a hungry tornado in my house when the guys leave. Now, you have a good day, Happy. Maybe later on this evening, you can come back by and have dinner with me and Tig. I don't know what it's going to be yet, but hey, free food," Shayla said in seemingly one breath. Happy nodded then made his way to the door.

He stashed his lunch into the saddle bag of his bike. He reached for his helmet that rested on the handlebar when he heard Shayla call out his name. He looked over his shoulder to see her darting down the stairs in her bare feet. She rushed to his side and handed his key to him. He stared down at it for a moment. He had completely forgotten about it. His key was the only reason he had showed up in the first place. Hell, he was even supposed to leave so he could shower and get some sleep and he ended up sleeping on her loveseat.

He reached out to grab the key and put it in his pocket. He focused back on his helmet. He felt Shayla's lips against his cheek and he turned his head to look at her. She patted his shoulder and gave him a smile.

"Thanks again. Bye, Happy," she said heading back into the house. He watched her ass as she hopped up the steps and disappeared in the house. Happy strapped his helmet on, started his motorcycle, and took off towards the clubhouse.


	5. Chapter 5

After they had found a washer and dryer for Shayla, she and Tig headed to a supermarket so Shayla could buy groceries. She and Tig had a cart each pushing them through the aisles aimlessly since they had no clue where anything was. A lot of people in the market steered clear of the two and Shayla knew it was because of Tig's kutte, but there were some who greeted them with a kind smile. She was curious on how many people knew who the Sons were in a city as big as Tacoma and what they thought of the club.

It was the same in Charming. There were some people who would cross the street just to avoid a patched member, but there were some people who would stop them in the streets just to say hello. Some people understood what the Sons did for Charming. Others couldn't see past the patch.

After spending way too much money on groceries, Tig and Shayla headed back to her house. She hurried with the stuffed french toast just so she could shut Tig up. Once his appetite had been sated, they began working on the house again.

XXXX

Happy pulled into the clubhouse since the clubhouse was closer than his own place. It would be simpler to just go there and shower before leaving to go to his shop. He had clothes in his dorm so he had nothing to worry about. He walked to his door and unlocked it before stepping in. He closed the door behind him before flicking on the light.

He scanned the room slowly making sure that everything was still exactly where it needed to be. When his scan hit his bed, he saw something laying on one of his pillows. It was flat and looked like a piece of paper. He stepped over to his bed quietly and grabbed the small piece of paper resting on his pillow.

Shayla had drawn him a picture. There were two of those little fairy things she was doodling the night before with overly big smiles on their faces. They were on opposite sides of a banner they were holding up. On the banner in a beautiful font were the words "thank you". He wasn't sure why she felt so obligated to keep telling him thank you. He hadn't really done anything for her. All he had done was help her clean her fridge and let her sleep in his bed. He hadn't really even done it for her. Well, he supposed he did, but in the end, the only reason why he did was because of who she was.

She was MC royalty. She was the daughter and step daughter of two of the Original 9; the founders of the Sons of Anarchy. Her step father was the President of SAMCRO. He realized that was probably why Tig always called her Princess. He wasn't sure if he had even heard him call her by her actual name other than when he introduced her to him. His thoughts drifted back to Tig and Shayla's weird relationship. He couldn't say why it made him so curious as to what those two really were to each other.

When they were around each other, it seemed like they drifted together almost like starstruck lovers. Happy felt an air of protectiveness whenever Tig was near her, possibly even obsession. Their eyes seemed to glitter when they locked eyes, but there was something different about it, telling him they weren't lovers, but something much deeper. It was clear that they loved each other, but he wouldn't say that they were "in love".

He shoved the thank you note in his kutte then turned to his closet so he could pull out some clothes. Once he was done, he walked to his bathroom so he could shower. Shayla had left his room just the way he had left it just like he had told her to. She may have been a little crazy and even a little bitch, but at least she knew how to listen. A trait desirable in any woman associated with the Sons of Anarchy.

He quickly showered and dressed before he headed to his tattoo shop to finish up with the Reaper tattoo of the latest patch in.

XXXXXX

"So, what's Happy's deal?" Shayla asked Tig as she sat in the floor between his legs. They were taking turns playing Need for Speed. They had decided to take a nice long break from the house because fuck the house, as Shayla so delicately said. Shayla would lean a little as she would turn on the game as if it made her a better driver.

"Why?" Tig inquired looking down at her.

"I'm just curious. He's all tall, dark, and I'll stab you in the face if you get within three feet of me," she said causing Tig to laugh.

"Yeah, that about sums Happy up alright," Tig said. Tig new that Shayla was going somewhere with the conversation and he had a good idea on where. He had noticed how Happy always seemed to watch her, even if it was from the corner of his eye. Tig had caught Happy looking at Shayla's ass that morning. He hadn't called Happy out on it though since Tig looked at her ass every chance he got as well. Hell, Shayla had her mother's ass so who wouldn't look?

"Does he have an Old Lady?" Shayla asked causing Tig's curiosity to peak.

"Why?" he asked again. Shayla shrugged as she drifted around a corner and crossed the finish line in first place. She handed the controller back to him so he could do the next race.

"I'm just curious. I like him. I think he's funny," she said leaning back against the couch as she picked up a joint from the table. Tig got a strange look on his face as he started the next race.

"Happy is many things there, Princess. Funny is not one of them," he said. Shayla leaned her head against his knee as she smoked the joint.

"Yeah, well, you should see the look he gives me whenever I kiss him," she said as a matter of fact. Tig paused the game and looked down at her. Anger shot through him quickly at her revelation. He was going to kill Happy if he had made a move on Shayla. She wasn't some Crow Eater that he could drag off to fuck and then force to leave before she was even finished dressing. He had seen Happy do that to numerous Crow Eaters.

Those bitches flocked to him like ants to a picnic even though he probably treated them worse than anyone else in the club and some of the Crow Eaters would seem scared of him afterwards. They were just pussy to him. Tig even wondered if he saw them as human.

And he would be damned if Happy was going to be treating Shayla like that.

"He kissed you? When?" Tig asked her in a serious tone. Shayla looked back at him with a strange look.

"I kissed him. He didn't kiss me. And you should have seen the look on his face. He didn't know what to do," she said with a slight giggle on her breath. She handed the joint back to him. Tig took it from her and took a long drag off it as he pondered Shayla's words.

Happy had allowed her to kiss him and he hadn't lashed out at her? Happy wasn't a very affectionate person. Hell, the only person that Tig had ever seen him hold was his mother. But Shayla had gotten close enough to him so that she could kiss him? Even if she had snuck it on him, he would have snapped at her to make sure it never happened again. But he hadn't.

"So, does he?" Shayla asked as Tig started the game up again. Tig glanced down at her before looking back at the game.

"What?" he asked as he drifted around a curve and managed to pull ahead of the lead car in the race.

"Have an Old Lady," Shayla said dropping her joint down in the ashtray since it had been smoked up.

"Who Happy?" Tig asked truly amused with her question.

"Yes!" she snapped getting tired of him stalling to answer the damned question.

"No. Happy and Old Lady don't even belong in the same sentence together," he said. Tig felt Shayla's shoulders rub against his knees as she shrugged.

"Good," she said sounding really pleased with his answer. Tig frowned as he crossed the finish line in first place.

"Why?" Shayla yawned as she stretched her arms out as far as they would go.

"I would hate to have to beat an Old Lady's ass because I'm kissing on her Old Man. That would just look bad." Tig snorted.

"Yeah, that would look real bad," he said as he rested the controller and Shayla's head so she could start the next race.

XXXXXXX

The new patch in was a pussy. Happy had barely gotten near his shoulder blades when the new patch in started squirming under the needle and groaning in pain. Eventually, the pain got to be too much for the patch in and they had to stop. Happy was upset with him because he was ready to get the tattoo done so he didn't have to listen to the new patch in bitch and moan about the pain he was in. It took everything in his power not to shove the needle in the bitch's eye and show him with pain really was.

After the patch in left his shop, it was time for lunch. And it was a good thing too since he had skipped breakfast that morning since he had crashed over at Shayla's the night before. He would have stayed for breakfast, but he had too much stuff to do before he went in for work.

He reheated the food that Shayla had packed up for him and made himself a sandwich out of it. Since he had reheated it in the microwave he was aware that it wasn't going to taste as good as it should have as if it were made fresh, but when he bit into it, it was so good that it made his taste buds hurt. He didn't even know that it was possible for food to be that good when it came out of the microwave. He was going to have to get his hands on more of it if Tig didn't eat it all.

His mind drifted off to the fact that Shayla had invited him over to dinner though she wasn't sure what she was going to be making quite yet. At that point, he didn't care because if everything she made was half as good as the meatloaf he was currently devouring, it was going to be amazing.

Happy pulled up in front of Shayla's sometime that evening hoping that she had figured out what she was going to be making for dinner that night. He didn't care what it was, because he was certain it was going to be delicious. He could hear music playing inside the house. He was beginning to think that was going to be a constant thing whenever he showed up at her house. He noticed the front door was open again as well and he knew that was going to be a regular thing as well. As he stepped up on the porch he could hear Shayla giggling and laughing inside.

The music was quick paced and upbeat as he stepped inside and he found Tig and Shayla in the kitchen dancing with each other. Tig grinned down at her as he led her around as if their dance had been choreographed. Shayla smiled and laughed with an utter joy that seemed to seep under Happy's skin. The song ended and Tig dipped her dramatically. The action caused another laugh to escape Shayla's lips. It also brought him into her view.

"Hi, Happy! Glad you could make it!" she said and Happy couldn't get over how genuine she sounded. There was just no way that she could be Gemma Teller's daughter and be that nice.

"You promised me food," Happy said as Tig pulled her to stand upright. She huffed as she fixed her hair and clothes as Tig stepped away from her a little to give her some room. That was when he smelled whatever she was cooking and the very smell of it made his mouth water.

"Yes, I did. It's chili tonight with some cornbread because I like my chili with cornbread," she said putting her hands on her hips.

"Weirdo," Tig said grabbing his beer off the kitchen counter with an unlit cigarette between his lips. Shayla reached up and plucked it from his lips before placing it in her own to smoke. Tig huffed as he dug in his pocket for his pack of smokes.

"That's what happens when you're my spirit animal," she said with a shrug. Tig winked at her with his infamous smirk. Shayla turned her attention to Happy. "Did you eat your lunch?"

Happy scoffed. She actually asked him if he had eaten. No one except his mother ever asked him that question. He nodded slowly. She smiled in delight at his response then made her way to one of her cabinets to pull down the cornmeal to make the cornbread.

"I drew up a couple pictures for that cover you want," Happy said as he leaned against the counter beside her. Shayla grinned without looking at him.

"Do you have them with you?" she asked as she started mixing all the ingredients together. Happy nodded again. "Let me finish making this then I can take a look at them." Happy watched as all the ingredients inside the bowl became the batter that was going to be the cornbread.

"So, why the Kraken?" Happy asked as the curiosity was getting the better of him. With each drawing that he had done for her, he would wonder all the different reason why she would choose the Kraken. All seemed outlandish, but Shayla was a very outlandish individual and at that point, there wasn't much that would surprise him.

Shayla let out an almost evil giggle as her eyes got a darkened glint in them. Happy's natural reaction was to smirk at her. He knew he was going to like the the story. By that time, Tig had hurried into Shayla's bedroom. Shayla poured the batter into a pan so she could stick it in the oven to bake.

Tig emerged from her bedroom carrying a box simply labeled "shit". It was a tall box and rather bulky. He carried it into the living room and sat it down on the table. Happy joined him to see what exactly was in the box. Tig took out his knife and cut the tape that held it shut in a swift, fluid motion. When he opened it, the first thing that caught Happy's eye was the golden sheen of trophies. There were several inside and they all seemed to be baseball trophies. Tig reached in and grabbed one out and showed it to Happy. It was a simple trophy with what appeared to be a girl ready to bat at the top. His eyes went to the plate on the bottom of it.

"Shayla "The Kraken" Teller" was written on the first line. Then the letters "MVP" was below it. Happy hummed then reached into the box to grab another trophy. Each one either had "Championship" or "MVP" on it, but every single one had Shayla's name with "The Kraken" as her nickname.

"I don't follow," Happy admitted. He hadn't noticed that Shayla had joined them. She pulled out an old VHS tape and handed it to Tig. Happy noticed that it said "The Best of The Kraken" on it with a year, but he didn't see what year it was.

"I had violent tendencies growing up," Shayla said. "Got into a little trouble. Would have been a lot of trouble if it wasn't for Unser having my back. Ma decided that sports was a good way to take my aggression out. And she was fucking right." Happy listened to her closely hoping that something she would say would clear up the entire thing, but her vagueness seemed to be on purpose. While she talked, Tig set up the television to play the tape.

Tig pushed play and the first thing Tig saw was a baseball field filled with players in their respective positions. Happy watched as the camera panned to the dugout as someone stepped out onto the field.

"Release The Kraken!" someone yelled within the crowd and then it erupted into whoops and whistles. Happy knew it was Shayla. Her black hair was back in a ponytail that poked out from beneath the helmet. She was about halfway to the plate when she faced the crowd and threw her hands in the air and waved her bat around. If it was possible, the crowd grew louder and even her team was going crazy in the dugout.

She made her way to the plate and dug her cleats into the ground a couple times then readied her bat. The crowds grew quiet. Shayla stood like a statue as the pitcher winded up for the pitch. The ball left the pitcher's hand so fast that Happy was barely able to see it happen. Shayla swung the bat and it connected with the ball. Even with the poor quality of the home movie, the sound that the ball made when it connected with the bat sounded just like a lightning strike.

Shayla rushed to first base watching the ball as it shot high in the air and straight to left field. The girls in the left field ran for the fence to try and catch the ball. Shayla slowed as she neared first base to see what was going to happen. The crowd was on their feet. The ball kept soaring until it went over the fence earning Shayla's team a grand slam. The screams of the crowd caused the soundtrack on the tape malfunction a little as Shayla's team rounded the bases and all hit home.

Happy couldn't believe it. Shayla hit a home run and the sound her bat made when she hit the ball was phenomenal. It was no wonder they called her The Kraken. He slowly looked to her to find a devilish grin spread across her face. The grin brought a smirk to his own lips.

"Violent tendencies, huh?" he asked in a teasing tone. Tig turned the home movie off and tossed the controller on the couch.

"That is putting it lightly. Remember the guy we told you that she beat the shit out of for fucking up her tattoo?" Tig asked throwing his arm over Shayla's shoulders. Shayla looked away sheepishly. Happy nodded. "Yeah, well, she beat the shit out of him with her bat. Broke his jaw, knee, some ribs, then to top it all of, she somehow talked Opie into going and blowing his car up." Happy looked to Shayla again who was trying to look innocent, but it was clear that she didn't regret anything about what she did. "Yeah, Princess here just about did a lot of time for fucking him up like she did."

"Gotta love Unser!" she said looking up at Tig. Tig winked down at her and Shayla stepped away.


	6. Chapter 6

Shayla had chosen a sketch that Happy drew up with her that was inspired by the Kraken from the 1981 film of Clash of the Titans. It would appear as if it was tearing through her skin as if it was her calf that was his cage. Its mouth was open in a mighty roar. Some of the tattoo was going to go up into the bend of her knee and Happy was worried that she wasn't going to be able to handle the pain. She may have been a little rough neck from being raised around bikers her entire life, but that could have been a front.

It had been a few days before he was able to get her into his tattoo shop. He was a very busy man when it came to his shop. There were people that would travel from hours away just to get his ink. It was going to be multiple weeks before he was going to be able to get Shayla in, but there was a last minute cancellation on one of his appointments.

Happy found himself going to her house daily. He wasn't even sure why he found himself going over there. No, that was a lie. He knew why he went over there. It was her smile. It was her personality. It was the way she always had that mischievous sparkle in her eye whenever she smiled. It was just… her.

They had finished working on the house and it had come together quite nicely. She had a mocha colored paint on the back wall where the sun would hit for most part of the day. On the walls that wasn't going to get much sun got painted an antique white. She had painted the bedroom upstairs a stormy blue color and she claimed it was going to be the guest bedroom and where she kept all of her extra parts for all of the electronics she had.

She had a couple interviews for a couple jobs at a few different call centers that was around Tacoma. She was a little anxious hoping that someone would be able to call her back so she could get to work. Tig had found her a car and was currently working on getting it up and running for her. Happy had pulled up the second day she owned the little Honda and couldn't help, but laugh. Tig was holding Shayla back with one arm while he was trying to wrestle a baseball bat from her with the other. She was screaming at him to let her go so she could beat the shit out of the car.

It had taken only two days before the car had broke down on her and she was going to beat the ever living shit out of the car then the guy that sold it to her. Tig had talked her down enough to allow him to work on the vehicle for her. At least, that's what Tig thought. When Tig walked back into the house, Shayla looked to Happy and attempted to talk him into taking her car and driving it off a cliff. Happy had considered it for a moment, but ended up turning her down. He promised her that he and Tig would work on her car.

He was sitting in his booth prepping everything as he waited for Shayla to show up with Tig. He had finally finished the latest patch in's tattoo after basically tying the little fucker down and finishing it whether he liked it or not. Happy heard the bell of the front of his shop open and the sound of Shayla's laugh filled his ears. The hairs on his body seemed to stand on end with anticipation. Tig must have told her a joke because she couldn't stop laughing.

At least someone found him funny.

Happy walked to the front of the shop to greet them. Shayla walked to him and hugged him close. It was something that he had quickly grown accustomed to since he had known her. He kind of enjoyed it. Her perfume was intoxicating and the feel of her perky breasts pressed against him made all the blood in his body rush to his groin. It didn't help that she liked to wear tight clothes that showed off a perfect waist.

Today she wore a hoodie that had the reaper on the front of it. It was baggie on her compared to what she normally wore, but the little pair of shorts she was wearing seemed to be painted on. It had been the first time that he had seen her in shorts. Her legs were nice and tanned. Her legs were nicely shaped from years of playing sports.

He noticed a Tigger tattoo on her ankle. He also saw some type of skeletal design on her thigh but he couldn't tell what it was because it disappeared under her shorts.

"You ready?" he asked her throwing his thumb over his shoulder. Shayla nodded her head. They all walked back to Happy's booth. Shayla looked around his booth. He had pictures hanging on his walls of his better works. He had brought in a table so Shayla could lay down while Happy covered that God awful thing on her leg.

She laid out on the bed and stretched out. Happy watched her as she got comfortable. The way she stretched out and the way she sounded when she let out a groan made his pants feel a little tighter. Tig caught his attention when he moved to sit in the extra seat that they kept for guests. Happy noticed that Tig watched her much the same way he did and there was a part of him that didn't like it. But he kept in mind that whatever it was that Tig and Shayla shared was platonic. Shayla was fair game as far as he knew so he wasn't going to stop doing what he was doing until she wasn't available. And with the way Tig made her seem off limits to everyone in the Sons, that wasn't going to change anytime soon.

Happy got to work after she got comfortable. She moaned again once he started with the tattoo. It wasn't from pain though. She was enjoying herself. It wasn't everyday that he had someone like her on his table. She was a little masochist.

When he reached the back of her knee, where the tattoo was going to be the most painful, Shayla hissed and raised up off the table to rest her weight on her elbows. She then arched her back and leaned her head back. Then the sexiest whimper escaped her plump lips that Happy had ever heard. He had never been so turned on in his life.

He pulled the needle away from her skin so he could stare at her for a moment. He glanced at Tig who gave Happy a knowing smirk.

"Why did you stop?" Shayla said looking back to Happy over her shoulder. When Happy locked eyes with her, he saw that her pupils were dilated with pleasure. Happy smirked at her. Was she seriously turned on? Happy leaned forward and started on her tattoo again.

They had managed to finish the tattoo in one session. They had only stopped so Shayla could use the bathroom and sneak out back and smoke a joint. Happy leaned back against the counter next to Tig as they watched her admire her new ink. She stood in front of a cheap floor to ceiling mirror. She stood with her back to the mirror turning her leg back and forth to admire the tattoo at every angle. She turned to Tig and Happy and smiled.

She walked to Happy and wrapped her arms around his neck. She gave him a kiss on the cheek as she pulled away.

"Thank you so much, Happy. I love it." She turned to Tig so that he could see it. "Look at this shit!"

"Looks awesome, Princess." Shayla went back to the mirror to admire it some more.

When Happy went over to her house that evening, he found Shayla outside laying under her car with Tig. They had the car up on blocks. Happy walked around the car where Tig and Shayla were and frowned.

"Shayla!" Happy barked. Shayla made no move to come from under the car.

"What?" she called back clearly annoyed that he was bothering her.

"What the fuck do you think you're doing?" he snapped. Shayla still didn't move.

"Uh. Working on my piece of shit car," she said as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. Of course, it kind of was.

Happy reached down and grabbed her by her ankle careful not to grab the fresh tattoo. He jerked her out from under the car. Shayla called out in protest at his actions. She gave him a glare that could crumble mountains, but she didn't say anything. Little bitch _did_ know when to keep her mouth shut.

Tig came out from under the car, but made no move to stop Happy.

"I just gave you ink and not even six hours later, I find you laying in the dirt?" By the time he had finished talking he was screaming at her. Shayla had seemed to shrink under his words. She didn't break eye contact with him like anyone else would.

"Dude chill. It's fine," she said brushing her hands together. Happy reached down and latched onto her elbow. He jerked her up roughly. "Ow, Happy that hurts." He ignored her as he pushed her towards the house. Shayla stumbled over her feet, but managed to stay upright.

"Get in there and get cleaned up," he spat. "And there better not be anything wrong with that tattoo!" He watched her all but scramble into the house.

"Stupid little bitch," Happy mumbled. He heard Tig sigh.

"Hey come on now. Princess may be a little bitch, but she's not stupid," Tig defended. Happy huffed shoving his hands in his pockets. Tig stood with a groan then reached in his pocket to grab a smoke.

"She could've fooled me," Happy replied.

"She's just stubborn. Too much like her mom." Tig chuckled a little and shook his head. "Don't tell her I said that, though." The two men made their way into the house. Shayla appeared to already be in the shower.

Happy noticed that Shayla wasn't making dinner and Happy had to admit that it bummed him out a little. Her house stayed clean he noticed, but there was always one dish of some kind in the sink. Whether it be a single glass or a lonely spoon, there was always something in her sink.

It drove him crazy.

Tig drank his beer while he flipped through channels on the television. Happy sat down on the loveseat. He stared at the television, but he wasn't paying attention to what Tig was watching.

Shayla finally emerged from the bathroom wearing a pair of very short shorts. When she made her way into the living room, Happy noticed that her ass cheeks were poking out of the bottom. Happy waited for her to sit before he spoke up.

"Let me see it. I need to make sure you didn't fuck it up." Shayla glared at him from the corner of her eye. It was very clear that she was upset with him, but honestly Happy couldn't have cared any less. She shouldn't have been laying in the dirt possibly ruining his ink. She should have known better.

Little bitch.

She stood from her place on the couch and made her way to him. He peeled back the patch carefully and observed the tattoo. It still looked to be flawless.

"Alright, you're good," he said covering the tattoo back up. "Now stop doing stupid shit." Shayla basically pranced back over to Tig and sat down next to him.

"I think you mean 'make sure you don't catch me'," she corrected with a playful tone. Happy narrowed his eyes at her. She grinned a lopsided grin. Happy's frown deepened. Normally when he looked at people like that, he could see them visibly shiver as fear crept up their spines. And here she was practically challenging him without a hint of fear.

And he liked it.

"He's gonna kick your ass if you're not careful there, Princess," Tig said in a teasing tone as if he was trying to lighten the mood. Shayla looked to Tig.

"Eh," she said with a shrug. "I'm about due for one anyways." Tig grinned looking down at her. Shayla's hand shot down Tig's pocket earning a grunt from the biker.

"A little to the left," he said wiggling a little. Shayla giggled as she pulled a pack of cigarettes out.

"Shut up, you perv." Happy shook his head watching the two interact. His curiosity finally peaked. He just had to know.

"So, what's the deal with you two?" His question caught their attention. Shayla laughed while Tig's arm wrapped around her shoulders. Shayla leaned into his embrace and wrapped an arm around his waist.

"The first time I met this little shit, she was only like three. I was hanging around the clubhouse getting drunk and Gemma brought her in for whatever reason. Princess takes one look at me and comes straight to me wanting me to hold her. So naturally I tell her to beat it. And this little shit just laughs at me and tells me no. And it was the cutest fucking thing I had ever seen. She's been my Little Princess ever since then." Shayla leaned her head against his chest as if to emphasize his words. She pointed to her Tigger tattoo.

"I got this because it's what I always called him. He's got a tiara around his ankle for me."

It was a simple story really. Happy wasn't sure what he was expecting, but something was telling him that there was more to the story. He could see it in their eyes. There was a certain shimmer in them. He wanted to press for more, but he didn't want to be too nosey. He still wanted to know where her bruises came from. Maybe she deserved them, but honestly, he wasn't sure who could stay mad at her long enough to inflict bodily harm on her. Of course, she could have just gotten carried away in the bedroom.

"Can we just order out tonight? I'm not really in the mood to cook right now," Shayla requested from Tig. Tig nodded his head and stood up while Shayla moved to the other end of the couch so she could stretch her legs out. Tig walked into the kitchen and dug around in one of the drawers for a phone book they could use to find something for delivery.

Happy noticed that Shayla's mood had completely changed. She seemed to disappear within her thoughts. Her leg was pulled up near her and her fingers were rubbing her Tigger tattoo. Happy watched her as she zoned out completely.

As Tig called in for an order of pizza, he walked over to the edge of the couch where Shayla was sitting and placed a hand on her head. Shayla jerked a little and looked up at him. She smiled up at him, but Happy could tell that it was fake. Her eyes had seemed dull. There was something more to the story, Happy just knew.

Happy had found himself crashing on her loveseat again while Tig took his place on the couch. Shayla was snuggled up alongside him covered in his kutte while she dozed off during a movie. She hadn't said much more since Happy had asked them how they had met.

It wasn't long before Happy could hear Shayla snoring against Tig's chest. This time, however, Tig didn't wake her up and make her go to bed. Instead he let her lay there. By the end of the movie, Tig slowly wiggled his way out from under Shayla and picked her up bridal style. He carried her into her room to lay her in her bed.

It was odd to Happy to see Tig act in such a way towards another human being, let alone a woman. He was the typical Son to where anything with a pussy was just that; a pussy. It was clear how much he cared for Shayla and how much Shayla cared for him.

Tig sat back down with a huff. Happy could tell Tig was worried about something. He noticed that Tig had stopped drinking and smoking pot. Neither was Shayla for that matter. It was the first time he had seen Shayla sober in every sense of the word. Normally, she was high. Always high. Sure she was able to control herself fairly well and no one could tell that she was high except for the faint smell that lingered with the weed. Happy just figured that was her natural scent. Not that he was complaining. Weed was a natural part of the Sons of Anarchy and with the way the SAMCRO boys were, she probably needed it to put up with them. Granted he had never really been the one for smoking weed, but with Shayla around, he had smoked more than he had in his entire life.

Okay, that was an exaggeration, but still, he smoked it a lot more than what he usually did.

As they watched television, Tig got up and went into Shayla's room for a few moments before reammerging. Happy watched him curiously, but Tig seemed to pay him no mind as he made his way back to the couch. After another thirty minutes, Tig got back up and went into Shayla's room again. He came back out moments later and made his way to the couch. The third time that Tig stood, Happy stood behind him and went into the bathroom to take a leak. When Happy stepped out, he found Tig standing over Shayla's bed watching her while she slept. Happy stood in her doorway for a moment wondering what the hell Tig was doing, but pushed the curiosity out of his mind so he could finally get some sleep.


	7. Chapter 7

The next day when Happy showed up at Shayla's, he had no reason to even be there. He hadn't been invited and, as far as he knew, Shayla wasn't doing anything special. Her door was open in its typical fashion as he pulled in.

He turned his bike off and he heard Shayla screaming inside then heard Tig screaming back. He wasn't sure what was going on because it sounded like a long string of insults coming from each of them. He trotted up to the front door so he didn't miss anymore of the argument than he wanted.

Tig and Shayla stood in front of her television facing each other. He could tell there was some type of video game that was on the television, but he had no clue what was on there. He wasn't much of a gamer. Hell, he wasn't a gamer at all. He just didn't understand them really. Especially since it seemed to anger people like it had Tig and Shayla. Happy may have been a violent individual, but he wasn't angry.

"Well, if you wouldn't have wasted all of the shotgun ammo on those fucking Carriers then maybe we would be able to make it passed this part, you fucking two bit shot!" Shayla screamed at him.

"I didn't waste all my ammo on Carriers, you bossy little know-it-all! I wasted all my ammo keeping those Infected off your ass!" he retorted.

"Bullshit! You don't have to worry about me and you know damned well you don't! So now I'm carrying your ass the entire way and we're stuck using Covenant weaponry and that shit sucks against The Flood. We don't even have the pistol anymore because we keep dying!" Happy blinked a couple times. What the actual fuck were they talking about?

"Well maybe if you would stop screaming at me and stressing me out so much then maybe we would be able to get passed this part," Tig said crossing his arms over his chest. Shayla rolled her eyes as she matched his stance.

"Well, maybe if you were a better shot then we wouldn't be in this predicament," Shayla snapped as she walked away from him. That was when she noticed Happy's presence. The anger in her eyes faded almost instantly. A smile stretched across her lips as she approached him.

"Hey, Happy, what brings you here?" she asked. Happy frowned at her. What did bring him there? He had no reason to actually be there. He just… wanted to be. He wanted to be around her. He couldn't make any sense of it. He shoved his hands in his pockets to appear nonchalant.

"Figured I'd come over to see what's for dinner," he said casually. Shayla grinned at him. She looked like she really didn't believe him, but she didn't call him out on it.

"Well it's time for me to start prepping for dinner anyways. It's taco night if you're wanting to stay," she offered making her way back into the living room. She bent over the coffee table giving Happy a perfect view of her ass. She was wearing a pair of cloth shorts and a thin long sleeved shirt that clung to her body like plastic wrap. His gaze stayed on her waist until she straightened up and turned around and faced him. She had a joint between her lips with a lighter in her hand.

She lit it as she walked past him and his gaze fell to her ass as she made her way to the refrigerator. She opened the door and bent a little as she searched the shelves for the things she needed. Happy felt someone next to him so he shifted his gaze to find Tig staring him down.

He didn't appear to be angry that Happy was watching Shayla. If anything, he seemed curious. Tig's eyes shifted to Shayla as she started dragging stuff out, then looked back to Happy.

"You better be careful, Happy. She doesn't like it when people drool all over her. She gets that enough," Tig said in a low voice. Happy narrowed his eyes at Tig.

"Then what does she like?" Happy asked and immediately wanted to slap himself. When the question had first formed in his head, it seemed like an innocent question. Not so much when it came out. He heard Shayla giggle somewhere behind him. Before he could turn around, he felt Shayla's hands go around his waist then felt her chin on his shoulder.

Shayla felt Happy tense under her touch as he so often did. Almost every time she touched him, he tensed. She suppressed a giggle. She wasn't sure why, but she loved how he reacted. It was so subtle. She only felt him tense up, never seen him.

"I like what every girl likes, Happy. To be seen as more than just pussy." She paused for a moment as a frown stretched across her face. "Okay, I like what any respectable girl likes." Happy looked back at her with a hard stare.

Shayla stepped away from him and took a hit from her joint before handing it to Tig. Shayla went back to the kitchen and plopped some hamburger meat down so she could season it. She could feel Happy's eyes on her for a moment before they dropped away.

"We're having a party tonight," Happy mentioned. "Everyone is gonna be there." Shayla sprinkled some seasonings on the meat and started working it in as the joint appeared in front of her face. She glanced at Happy who was holding it out for her. She leaned forward a little and put her lips on it. She took a draw off it and let the smoke out slowly.

"And you want me to be your date?" Shayla teased. Happy narrowed his eyes at her, but didn't respond. Shayla giggled at him. "It's okay, Happy. I would be love to be your date." Happy took a step back from her and glanced at Tig who wasn't paying much attention to what Shayla was saying. Happy wondered if he should have corrected her, but he didn't. He wasn't really interested in having a date to the party. He never had dates at the club parties. He simply just picked out the Sweet Butt he wanted for the night and took her back to his dorm room. "Tig makes for the worst date. He always ditches me for some pussy that usually gives him an itch that requires a shot to get rid of."

Tig threw a look at her over his shoulder at her.

"Oh come on, that was one time!" he defended. Shayla snorted at him while Happy chuckled at the exchange. Tig stomped over to her and gave her a threatening look. Shayla wasn't intimidated in the least. "Besides, I don't want you as my date tonight anyways. Happy can have you." Shayla grinned up at the blue eyed biker then glanced at Happy.

"I'd rather be Happy's date than your date. You're a terrible date. Just like you're a terrible shot," she said turning her back on him so she could continue seasoning the meat the way she needed to.

"I'm going to kick your little ass," Tig snapped as he pointed a finger at the back of her head. Shayla gasped throwing him a look.

"My ass is perfectly proportionate to the rest of my body," she snapped at him as she looked down at her rear. Happy and Tig both joined her in examining it. Happy had to agree, it was a pretty perfect ass. Then again, he was an ass man. Tig and Happy's gazes met each other then they grinned.

"And you're a pain in my ass. I need a break. Happy can have you for the night," Tig said before he turned on her and made his way back into the living room. Shayla watched him walk away from them with a shake of her head. She glanced at Happy who was watching her out of the corner of his eye.

"Tig must want some pussy which is why he's pawning me off on you. I don't need a babysitter. Tig just thinks I'm not capable of taking care of myself," she said as she started working more seasoning into the meat.

"I'm not your babysitter," Happy said putting the joint to his lips. "I'm your date." Shayla giggled as she plopped the seasoned meat in a pan so she could start frying it up.

By the time that she had cooked dinner and the three of them had eaten to the point of misery, it was time to head to the party at the clubhouse. Evidently, it was one of the members birthdays and they were throwing a bash for him. That could only mean one thing; whores, whores, and more whores. Every time something like this happened back home, they would always throw a party with the skankiest skanks that ever skanked in the history of skanks.

She had changed into a black, long sleeved dress that went half way down her thighs. Under it was a pair of black leggings that went down to her knees. She wore black combat boots with them. She had done her hair and makeup and when she stepped out of the bathroom, she thought Happy's jaw was going to hit the ground. She was used to guys looking at her like that, but there was something about the way that Happy looked at her that excited her in ways that she had never felt before.

She decided she was going to ride with Happy since he was going to be her date for the night while Tig followed behind them in her car. The air was cold as it whipped passed them, but it wasn't anything she couldn't really handle. She knew it was going to get harder the later in the year it became. She pressed herself against him and wrapped her arms around his waist. She rested her cheek against his shoulder so she could keep a little bit of wind out of her face. The last thing she wanted to happen was the wind to make her eyes water and it ruin her mascara or eyeliner.

The crowd at the clubhouse was getting bigger and bigger with every passing minute. She couldn't believe the presence of the club. She supposed it was possible since Tacoma was so much bigger than their little town of Charming. There were a few people that watched her as she got off the back of Happy's bike when they had first arrived, but they were mostly just curious stares. She wondered if Happy had ever had anyone on the back of his bike before.

She followed him to the bar and stood next to him as he sat in a stool. She rested her elbow on his shoulder as Happy ordered them a beer. Tig slid into the stool on the other side of Shayla and ordered himself a beer. Shayla turned around to take the clubhouse in. There were a few men playing darts in a corner. There was two pool tables as opposed to the one they had back in Charming and both were occupied by bikers playing nine ball.

There was a stripper's pole in another corner along the same wall as the bar and there was a Crow Eater currently grinding on that while a small group of bikers were practically foaming at the mouth as they watched her. There was a jukebox playing some loud music that drowned out every conversation in the room to where she wasn't able to hear them. There was a small dance floor near it.

She felt something cold against the skin on her arm and she turned to find the culprit. Happy had a bottle of beer that was pressed against her so he could get her attention. She grinned at him as she took the beer from him and she sipped on it.

Later in the night, the party was in full swing. There was people absolutely everywhere. Shayla had went off to talk with the Crow Eaters so she could get the latest gossip. The girls always saw more than what everyone thought and if someone wanted inside info on anything, they would know to go straight to them.

Shayla was a little disappointed to discover that the girls had a slight drug problem. Their pupils were fully dilated even though there was a lot of fluorescent lighting in the clubhouse. Shayla noticed that there were a few sores on their skin that they were scratching at. They appeared that they were a little weary of her, though she couldn't really blame them. It was even like that with the girls at SAMCRO whenever there was a new pussy around, but it was clear that there was something illegal going on with them.

She had found out about a lot of the members of SAMTAC, however, none of them were actual officers. They just wore the patch, nothing more. She kept an eye on the everything that was happening around her, watching how everyone was moving. None of the patched members appeared to be on anything other than the basic drugs that were usually passed around. She wasn't sure if she should bring it to Tig's attention or not. She knew that Clay always had a strict no drugs policy when it came to the club. If she were to say something, there was a possibility that SAMTAC would lose all of their pussy. And that wasn't good.

She made her way back to Happy and threw an arm over his shoulders. He gave her a look like he really didn't want her to touch him, but she completely ignored it as she yelled for another beer. She tilted the beer back and took a couple gulps of it. She looked to Happy with a grin. He was slouched over his glass of whiskey acting like he was pouting over something. She wanted to tease him, but she wasn't sure how he would handle something like that when they were out in public, so she decided against it. She was aware of how everyone looked at him. And she was aware that there was good reason for it, though she wasn't sure what the reasons were.

The Men of Mayhem patch that he wore spoke volumes.

"Well, the pussy is absolutely delightful," she said sarcastically. "How long has meth been floating around the club?" Happy shot her another look then turned a little towards her. Shayla let her arm fall from his shoulders as she turned towards him a little more. She swallowed a little after looking into his eyes. He looked furious.

"What are you talking about?" he asked.

"Oh, come on, Hap, you haven't seen the girls' pupils? They're completely dilated. You know how SAMCRO feels about shit like that," she said. Happy frowned and glanced over to the girls that Shayla had previously been around. He had watched them for a while. He knew that Shayla was milking them for information. It was what Old Ladies did whenever they needed to know something that was happening within the club. It was amazing what the little whores knew about the club. He had seen Gemma do it so many times before.

"I don't look them in the eye," Happy admitted as he faced the bar again. Shayla frowned at his statement then gave him a look filled with question.

"But… you've fucked them," she said. Happy smirked and shook his head.

"Just because I fuck them doesn't mean that I look them in the eye," he said as a matter of fact. Shayla cackled at him.

"I don't think you're supposed to talk about past pussy with your date, Hap," Shayla teased. Happy grinned at her.

"You brought it up," he said with a shrug. Suddenly, there was a large hand on her shoulder and she turned to see its owner. Tig stood behind her with his arm around one of the Sweet Butts. Her pupils were dilated and it was clear that she was on something. She glanced to Happy to see if he was noticing it too. She was glad that he was actually paying attention to what was going on now.

She bit her lip. She wasn't sure how she felt about Tig going into a room alone with that woman. She didn't want him to wake up just to find out that he had been robbed blind because the club allowed meth through their doors.

"You're going to have to find some place else to shack up tonight, Princess. I got some oats to plow," he said with slurred speech then started leading the girl back to the dorms. Happy and Shayla watched as he disappeared. She looked to Happy. Happy sipped at his drink.

"I'll bring it to the table. I would appreciate it if you kept Tig out of this for now. See if we can't get this cleaned up ourselves," Happy suggested. As much as Shayla hated keeping something that big from Tig, she nodded and grinned at Happy.

"Well, well, well," a voice said from behind them. Happy immediately turned toward the voice to greet them while Shayla stood still. She knew that voice, but she couldn't remember from where. She racked and racked her brain, but she couldn't figure it out. "As I live and breathe, is that my little Shay Bug?" That was when it clicked. She spun suddenly as her eyes lit up.

"Kozy! Oh my God!" she squealed before basically jumping into his arms. She held him tight around the neck as he squeezed her around the middle with a groan. She pulled away from him and kept her hands on his shoulders while his hands stayed on her waist. Happy bit the inside of his cheek as he noticed Kozik's hands and their placement.

"Look at you!" Kozik said as he looked her up and down. "You look so," he said as his eyes slowed down so he could take her all in. "Legal." His eyes met hers and they seemed to shine when he smiled at her. Shayla giggled back at him before separating herself from him. Happy turned back to the bar to take another drink. Shayla slipped in beside Happy, but she focused on Kozik.

"Where have you been? I figured you would have found a way to come see me sooner than this. Even with Tig around," Shayla said in a playful manner. Kozik leaned his elbow against the bar and grinned at her as he grabbed the beer that was put on the bar for him.

"Eh. Club business, but I'm back now and I'm ready to hit on you all night," he said letting his eyes wander down her body again. Shayla was getting ready to say something to him to make him stop. The last time that she had seen him she was only like sixteen or seventeen so it made her a little uncomfortable that he would come straight out and start talking to her the way he did. It wasn't like she minded or anything, but Kozik had always been like an older brother in her eyes. He was always looking out for her just like Tig. He had never talked to her that way before. Hell, Tig didn't even start talking to her the way he did until after she turned eighteen.

A sudden brush on her shoulder blade kept her from saying anything to him. She looked over her shoulder to see that Happy had stood and was standing behind her. He was staring Kozik down with a threatening look that sent shivers down Shayla's spine. She could feel the threat radiating off him and it wasn't even directed towards her.

"Or, you know, I could… not hit on Shayla. That's cool too," Kozik said as he took a step away from Shayla. Happy glanced at Shayla out of the corner of his eye before he turned to sit back down. Shayla bit her lip and leaned against Happy.

"Sorry, Kozy. I'm Happy's date tonight. Tig was being an ass hole," she reasoned. Hearing Tig's name made Kozik's eyes search the club house for the curly haired dumbass.

"Is he still mad?" he asked. Shayla sighed and turned towards the bar. She made sure to stay as close to Happy as she could. It was the way she did Tig whenever there were other clubhouses that had come into Charming for a party. It always gave her the air of being claimed. She wasn't sure what it was doing to Happy and his reputation with the girls, but Happy didn't push her away so she wasn't going to worry about it.

"Yep. And he will be for a long time. What you did was kind of fucked up and you know how Tig is," she said nonchalantly. Kozik sighed and plopped down into the barstool.

"He can't hold it against me like this still. It's been years! I had to transfer from SAMCRO," he spouted out almost desperately. Shayla chuckled and shook her head at him.

"Maybe one of these days he'll forgive you. Until then, let me kick your ass at some darts," Shayla said as she made her way over to the board that just freed up.

Happy had decided to let Shayla stay in his room again since Tig had come out and snatched up another Crow Eater and disappeared with her. She just watched him as he all but pushed the woman down the hall towards the dorms that were reserved for visiting members. Shayla looked like she was going to fall asleep sitting at the bar. Happy was too drunk to be driving especially with someone on the back of his bike and there was no way that she was going to be driving that piece of shit car of hers.

She had shuffled back to his room and Happy wondered if she was even going to make it. When he had made it to his room, he found Shayla had changed into one of his shirts and was sitting under the blanket on his bed smoking a joint. He paused for a moment upon seeing his shirt on her.

It was just one of his plain white t-shirts and he wasn't sure how he felt about her wearing it. She didn't even ask him if it was okay. He supposed that he would have to be okay with it because she looked amazing in his shirt. She had brushed her hair out of the style that she had it in and had removed as much makeup as she could. The little dress that she had been wearing was placed on the back of the chair that he had sitting at his desk. She had probably changed it because that dress, though it looked amazing on her, did look to be very uncomfortable to sleep in.

He was surprised that she was even still awake. It was nearing four in the morning and she had went back to his room around two. He made his way into the bathroom so he could go through his nightly routines before he crawled into bed and went to sleep for the night. He was tired and the Crow Eater that had sucked him off in the bathroom had drained him of more than just his cum. He thought of the revelation that she had brought to his attention. He hadn't noticed anything when it came to the women, but he wasn't lying when he said he never looked them in the eye. He only stared at the back of the heads or the tops of their heads when they were going down on him.

Maybe it was something that was just around the girls. He hadn't noticed any of the patches acting like they were strung out. They knew how the mother charter felt about hardcore drugs. Hell, he didn't agree with it either. He had watched a lot of people around him disappear in his life because of the drugs. He knew that it was a small issue that would be able to be handled in the club. He walked out of his bathroom and sat down on the edge of his bed so he could toe off his shoes.

"Figured you'd be asleep by now, little girl," he said without looking back to her. To prove him right, she let out a loud yawn.

"No rest for the wicked, babe. Besides, I was almost asleep then I got to thinking about all the pussy that's been in this bed and it gave me the heebie jeebies," she said before taking a draw off her joint. Happy set his boots in their place before taking his socks off. He rubbed his feet on the carpet before he took his shirt off and tossed it in a basket that sat next to his bathroom door. He leaned back against the headboard.

The joint was passed to him. He took a draw off it then held it out in front of him. He watched as the smoke swirled up and up until it was thinned out enough to disappear.

"I don't bring pussy to bed," he said simply. Shayla scoffed next to him making him look to her.

"You expect me to believe that? Those Crow Eaters had nothing but great things about your dick," she said as a matter of fact as she reached for the joint.

"I don't fuck them in my bed," Happy said as Shayla took a draw from the joint. She blinked a couple times.

"Wait, what? Then where do you fuck them?" Shayla asked staring at him.

"Everywhere else," Happy stated simply. Shayla cackled at him.

"So does this mean that I'm gonna have to burn my clothes?" she asked eyeing her dress. Happy hummed looking at the dress as well.

"I would." Shayla giggled as she began to scoot down under the covers. Before she got too far down into the blankets, however, she reached up and kissed his cheek.

"Goodnight, Happy." Happy watched her as she settled in for the night and closed her eyes.


	8. Chapter 8

Shayla woke up the next morning with a groan. She tried to roll over, but she found out fairly quick that she wasn't able to. That was when she became aware of the arm that was around her waist. She looked behind her to see Happy laying behind her. His arm had found its way around her and he currently had his face buried in her back between her shoulder blades.

"Happy, wake up," she whispered. Happy's arm tightened around her as he attempted to bury his face in her back more. Just then, he paused and went rigid. He raised his head quickly and looked down at her. The look in his eyes confused Shayla. He seemed confused and like he had gotten caught with his hand in the cookie jar. He shot up next to her as he freed her from his grasp. He stared out into nothing as Shayla watched him. His actions were worrisome.

"Happy? Are you okay?" she asked as she reached out to him. She placed a hand on his bare shoulder. Happy blinked as he came to and looked down at Shayla's hand, then looked to her. His face twisted in anger and he all but snarled at her.

"Get out," he snapped as he got up from the bed. Shayla froze a for a moment as she let his words sink in.

"What? Happy, what's wrong?" she asked as she moved to sit on her knees while facing him.

"I said get out," he snapped again. "And leave my shirt." Shayla glanced down at the shirt she had taken from his closet. What the hell was going on? Why was he acting like this? Shayla held her hands out to him as if asking for something. Happy snarled at her as he stepped forward. He gripped her shoulder and jerked her out of bed. He didn't even give her enough time to get her footing as he pushed her towards the door. "I. Said. Out."

A sudden rage hit Shayla at his actions. There was no reason for him to be acting like that. He had never acted like that with her before. Sure, he had acted out a little whenever she was down in the dirt after he had given her a tattoo, but he was over it in a matter of minutes. She ripped the shirt off that she was wearing and threw it at him.

"You know what? Fuck you, Happy. I don't know what the fuck your problem is, but whatever it is, you need to get over it," she snapped. By the time that she had finished she was putting the dress back on. "You have no reason to be acting like some child. I'll get out of your dorm, but I swear to God if you step foot on my property, I will make sure there is no chance of finding the body." She didn't even bother with putting on her shoes.

She stormed out of his dorm and slammed the door shut behind her. She turned towards his door only to come face to face with the little sticker of the smiley face that was on his door. She reached up and grabbed the edge of it and ripped it off his door leaving some of the residue behind.

"You fucking ass hole!" she screamed through the door then stomped off towards the main room. Tig was sitting at the bar nursing a cup of coffee when Shayla walked in. He looked like he had quite the hangover. He was rubbing his fingers over his forehead slowly. His eyes were shut tight.

"Let's fucking go, Tig!" she snapped. Tig groaned as he let his head fall on the bar.

"Come on, Princess, let me finish my coffee first," he begged.

"NOW TIG!" Shayla yelled. There weren't that many people in the main room of the clubhouse. It seemed it was just a couple Prospects and Old Ladies that were cleaning up from the party the night before, but every last eye was on Shayla. Tig had jerked around at the demanding volume of her voice.

"Excuse the fuck outta you," Tig said with anger. Happy stepped into the main room shirtless. Shayla shifted her gaze to him which, in turn, drew Tig's gaze. Tig looked back to Shayla just in time to see that she had looked the other way. The anger was clear in her eyes. Tig looked back to Happy to see him shirtless and shoeless. The obvious clicked in his mind and Tig sighed as he lowered his head. He bit his lip and gave a quick shake of his head as Happy came within striking distance.

Happy was completely blindsided by Tig's sudden strike to the left side of his jaw. The sudden force to his jaw forced him to side step to the right a couple steps before he turned on Tig. Tig was already standing and rushed him. Tig swung again, but he swung wide which gave Happy enough time to dodge the blow before it even landed. Happy was still trying to figure out why Tig was suddenly coming after him, so he didn't swing back. He didn't want to fight someone he considered a friend without any good reason.

"I fucking told you, man," Tig said as he straightened up. "She's not a fucking Sweet Butt!" Tig rushed him again, only this time, he went low and grabbed Happy around the waist. The two stumbled backwards until Happy wasn't able to keep his footing anymore and the two of them went toppling over onto a table. The piece of furniture splintered beneath them. Tig sat up on Happy's stomach and tried to bring a fist down directly on his nose.

He would have followed through with the blow, but he felt an arm wrap around his elbow and another arm wrap around his chest. Suddenly, he was tossed to his side. He looked up at who the culprit was to see Shayla standing there with her feet on either side of Happy's hips. She stared Tig down with a stare that her mother would be proud of. Happy moved to sit up on his elbows, but Shayla snapped her fingers and pointed in Happy's face.

"Don't," she said in a final tone. Happy stopped as he stared up at her. Tig moved his leg so he could, at least, get it off Happy then Shayla snapped the fingers on her other hand and pointed in Tig's face. Tig froze. "Stay." Shayla took a quick glance around the room to see that more people had filed in once they heard the ruckus. "Leave." Everyone simply exchanged looks with each other before slowly making their way to somewhere else. Shayla stepped over Happy and took a couple steps and faced the two men. They slowly sat up as they watched each other.

"Happy and I didn't fuck last night, Tig, so you can go ahead and get that out of your head." Shayla walked to the bar where Tig's lone cup of coffee sat still steaming away. She grabbed it and carried it back to Tig.

"Then why am I kicking his ass?" Tig asked throwing his thumb towards Happy. Happy shot a look at him.

"Because sometimes you act before you think, Tigger," Shayla playfully scolded the tall biker. Tig sighed and took a sip of his coffee.

"Okay, what's going on?" Tig asked looking between the two. Happy crossed his arms over his chest.

"Everything was fine until I woke him up. He was all snuggled up to me and I couldn't move. When he woke up, he freaked out and then kicked me out." Shayla paused for a moment as she thought about what she had just said. She turned to Happy. "Was it because you were cuddling me? Is that why you freaked out?" Tig choked on his coffee behind her as Happy's arms fell to his sides. His lips parted and he looked at her in shock. Did she seriously just ask Happy that? Happy watched as all anger melted away and a lopsided smile stretched across her face. Then she giggled. She turned to Tig and wove her arm around his.

"Come on, Tigger. Let's go home and I'll cook you breakfast," she said tugging at his arm. Tig hummed as he followed along with her.

"Tig," Happy called out. Tig turned to Happy while Shayla kept walking. A sudden strike to Tig's jaw made him see stars and some of the coffee in the cup splashed on his hand. Tig switched hands so he could shake the coffee off.

"Yeah, I guess I deserved that," Tig said then nodded to Happy. Shayla sighed and placed her hands on her hips, but that lopsided grin never left her lips. Tig turned and put his arm around Shayla's shoulders as the continued on their way out of the clubhouse. Shayla paused at the door and looked over her shoulder back at Happy. Happy was watching her with an intense stare. It sent chills down her spine. She bit the inside of her lip.

"Would you like some breakfast, too, Happy?" she asked. Happy's eyes wandered down Shayla's body slowly as if he was studying her.

"I'll catch up," he said in a low voice then turned to the dorms in the back of the clubhouse.

Tig led Shayla out to her car and they got in. Shayla was driving since Tig looked like he was still a little drunk. His cheek was red from Happy's blow and Shayla reached over to run her fingers over it. Tig flinched a little and looked at her out of the corner of his eye.

"I'm sorry," she whispered.

"It's not your fault, Princess. Just the way you were acting, I just assumed you two fucked last night," he said as he started trying to find something to listen to on the radio.

"Well, see what happens when you assume?" she teased as she started the car. She glanced over to see Happy walking out of the clubhouse towards his bike. He had his sunglasses on, but she could feel his eyes on her as he made his way to his bike. She threw her car into drive and pulled out of the parking lot. She could hear Happy's motorcycle behind her car as he followed her back to her place.

"What would have happened if Happy and I really fucked last night?" Shayla asked curiously. Tig groaned and leaned his head back against the headrest.

"I would have killed him," he said simply. And Shayla believed him.

"But why?" she pressed farther. Tig shot her a look, then he chuckled.

"Awe, look, Princess has a little crush," he teased her. Shayla clicked her tongue at him and rolled her eyes. "Listen, Princess, Happy isn't the type to get into serious relationships. Hell, he's not even the type to have a regular relationship. I've known him for a long time and I've never seen him with a woman." Shayla gripped the steering wheel tighter without thinking about it. Tig chuckled at her. "Wow," he drawled out. "Happy? Seriously? He's the one you choose?" Shayla frowned and looked to Tig a couple times without taking her eyes off the road for too long.

"What do you mean?" she asked. Tig scoffed.

"Oh, come on, Princess, you're not fooling me. You've basically been foaming at the mouth every since you laid eyes on Happy," Tig accused. Shayla scoffed back at him.

"Oh no I have not," she spat. Tig laughed.

"Seriously, you have. He's the only man I have ever seen you show any form of interest in. You didn't even show interest in the fucker of an ex of yours," he said casually looking out of the window.

"Yes, I did," she said turning down another street.

"No, you didn't. He would get close to you and you would clam up. He'd touch you and you would move just out of his reach. I don't think you ever really liked him," he observed. Shayla sighed.

"I liked him just fine. At least, I did up until the drugs came into play. By the time I realized what was going on, I was too afraid to leave," she admitted quietly. Tig stared at her with a shocked expression at her revelation.

"You're not afraid of anything," he said quickly. Shayla's grip tightened on the steering wheel again. Tig saw her action and it him grow more curious. "What aren't you telling me?" Shayla sighed and shook her head.

"Can this wait 'til Happy leaves for the day? I don't want him to know," she said in a quiet voice. A voice that was so rare for her. She always demanded the attention of who she was talking to with her voice, another trait from her mother. Every time she walked in the room, she demanded the attention of everyone there and she didn't even have to try. It was strange to see her so… small.

Tig reached over to her and brushed the backs of his fingers down her cheek slowly. Shayla glanced over at him and grinned, but it never reached her eyes.

"I'm sorry, Princess. I was supposed to protect you," he said with a regretful look. She reached up and grabbed Tig's hand and brought it to her lips and gave his hand a quick kiss.

They made it back to her house and Tig didn't press her about the details of what happened with her and Charlie until after Happy had left for work. Shayla had packed him a lunch and had invited him over for dinner that evening if he wanted. She and Tig sat on the couch as Shayla told him, in full detail, all the times that Charlie had laid his hands on her.

She told him about how the beatings were going on a lot longer than what the boys had originally thought because he was always sure to leave the bruises in places that could be covered. She told him about how Charlie would make sure that she had something on that would cover them. She told him about how Charlie had mentally broke her first and how she always felt she had deserved the beatings.

She told him about how Charlie would always tell her that she was worthless and she would never do better than him. She told him about how he had told her that so many times that she started to believe him. She told him about how nothing that she did was right and how Charlie would beat her if she did something wrong.

Tig listened to every single word that came out of her mouth. He waited for her to finish speaking before he spoke up. He couldn't believe his ears. He had no idea that those things were happening to her. He felt as if he had failed her. He had protected her for years and in the moment that she needed him the most, he wasn't there for her.

"I like Happy, Tigger. He's easy to get along with and I feel safe with him, but I need to rebuild myself. Learn how to love myself again," she said passing the joint to Tig. Tig reached out for the joint but grabbed her wrist instead. He pulled her to him and wrapped his arm around her as he grabbed the joint.

"What's not to love, Princess?" he asked taking a hit off the joint. Shayla giggled against him and buried her face in his side. She took in a deep breath and she nearly gagged.

"Oh, dear God Tigger, you smell like a whore house! Go shower!" she snapped as she tried to push away from him. Tig wrapped his arm around her and shoved her face into his armpit. She squealed as she tried to push away from him. He finally let her go and Shayla fell back onto the couch.

He handed her back the joint and stood so he could go shower because she was right, he smelled bad. As he showered, he thought about the things she had just told him. Honestly, he couldn't believe it. She had always been so strong minded and strong willed that it seemed that there was no getting to her. Charlie had managed it, though, and he felt like he should have caught it.

Thinking back, he supposed that she had grown distant somewhat. She stopped coming around the clubhouse so much. Hell, she had even stopped working so much. He never thought it was because of Charlie. He had gotten to her. He broke her.

He recalled when he had first gotten the call from Gemma saying Shayla was in the hospital because Charlie had beaten her. He didn't even go to the hospital at first. He started hunting that little prick down. It took about three hours before he had gotten a text from Shayla that she needed him and he went straight there.

She had begged him, Jax, and Clay not to retaliate. Charlie needed help, not to be beaten or killed. It wasn't long after that when Gemma had found her completely knocked out and beaten beyond recognition. He never left her side while she was recovering. Tig knew as the SAA, that his duty was to Clay, but Shayla was his Princess. And no one fucked with his Princess.

They still hadn't killed him even after that had happened because she had begged. It was such a strange sight to see her beg. She was too much like her mother and demanded everything. Tig now understood why she was being the way she was. He had a hold of her that not even she could understand, even after their relationship had ended.

_I like Happy. He's easy to get along with and I feel safe with him._ Her words echoed in his head. He had only been teasing her about it. He could tell that she liked him with the way she was with him. She was an affectionate person, but only with certain people and those people were SAMCRO, and she had immediately taken to Happy.

And as it would seem, Happy had taken to her. He didn't shove her away whenever she was near him or tell her to leave him alone or even yell at her for touching him when he didn't want to be touched. Tig had witnessed him lashing out at some of the Sweet Butts for getting too close to him whenever he wasn't in the mood for their company. The way he treated them was almost brutal, even if it was verbal.

Tig knew he had made the right choice in choosing Happy to watch over her in his absence. He was going to sleep better at night knowing he was in her corner.

Tig finished with his shower and got out. He found Shayla in the living room playing one of her video games. He took a moment to step outside so he could call Clay to give him the information that Shayla had just told him. After everything that she had told him, it was going to be difficult not to go against her wishes and let that little fucker know what happened whenever you fucked with one of their own.

Clay had said that he would handle it, but he was going to wait for Tig to return to Charming before they acted, but Tig was going to take him down. He was going to make Charlie suffer. He was going to know the pain that he brought on Shayla.


	9. Chapter 9

Happy's next trip to Shayla's surprised him. Her door was open so he didn't bother knocking. Music was playing on a local pop station that Happy always skipped. He could see Tig sitting on the couch smoking a cigarette. When he seen Shayla, he stopped dead in his tracks.

She was bent over digging around in the dryer. The mixture of her posture and the jeans made her ass to be a perfect apple shape that Happy would have wanted to sink his teeth into. She wore no shirt and a plain black bra. Criss-crossed across her back in thin lines was swollen, scarred flesh. There were several that started from her shoulders and went all the way down to beyond her pant line.

It was clear that the original wounds were deep and clean. They were perfect.

Intentional.

Shayla stood up straight and held up a shirt that she had found in the pile of clothes. She threw it over her head then tugged it down around her waist. She turned as she pulled her hair out of the collar of the shirt before she noticed Happy's presence. She gasped as her hand shot straight to her heart. Her eyes were wide in shock. Happy watched her as she glanced over her shoulder towards her bedroom door then looked back to Happy before lowering her eyes.

"You weren't supposed to see that," she said in a tiny voice. She turned quickly and made her way into her bedroom. As soon as he heard the door click, Happy looked to Tig. He was still sitting on the couch smoking a cigarette. He was leaned back with his foot propped up on the table in a lazy manner.

"Did she at least have a bra on?" Tig asked nonchalantly. Happy nodded as he made his way into the living room so he could take his normal spot on the loveseat. Happy thought back to the scars that were on her back. Where had they come from? Who had given them to her? Were those people still alive? Why would they do something like that? Was it the same person who had left those bruises all over her face? He figured it was unlikely since the scars on her back looked pretty old considering how the skin looked around it.

He looked to Tig for a moment. If he really wanted to know what had happened to Shayla, all he would have to do is ask Tig about it. He was curious as to where those scars came from, but he didn't really care enough to ask.

Did he?

"What did you see?" Tig asked as he smashed his cigarette out in the ashtray that rested on the arm over the couch. Happy kept his eyes on the television.

"I think you know what I just saw," Happy said vaguely. Tig took a deep breath as he eyed Happy out of the corner of his eye. Happy's gaze remained on the television though he focused on Tig in his peripheral. He could tell that his friend was uneasy. It was the way he shifted whenever something was making him uncomfortable. It was a small character flaw that Happy had discovered of Tig whenever they were playing poker.

"You weren't supposed to see that, man," Tig said in a low, cryptic voice. Tig's statement only made Happy's curiosity grow. Happy wasn't a naturally curious person by any means, but those scars that he saw had a story behind them that he wanted to know. Just as he was about to start asking Tig questions, he heard Shayla scream for Tig. Tig rubbed his hand over his face with a sigh. Tig groaned as he stood then made his way into Shayla's room and left Happy alone to wonder.

Tig found Shayla on her bed. She was leaned against her headboard staring down where her fingers that were picking at a loose string in her comforter. He was glad to see that she had put a shirt on. It would make it easier for him to focus.

Shayla didn't really have what one would call shame when she was around those who knew about the scars on her back. Sure, he had seen her in a sports bra plenty of times whenever she was training with Chibs in the boxing ring and even before that when she was training for softball. It never really bothered him when she wore the sports bras for whatever reason.

It was when she wore those bras with the underwire or the push-up bras that Tig had to force his eyes to stay locked with hers. There was a time where he had called her out on it and told her to go put a shirt on before she came out. She had just giggled then wiggled her tits at him before she started off to annoy someone else.

He had stopped trying to get her to put a shirt on.

There was a water bong already loaded on her nightstand drawer. She waited for him to sit on the bed before she reached for it. She took a hit first before she handed it to Tig. It was still rolling so Tig took a hit and quickly handed it back to Shayla. This continued until there was nothing left in the bong.

"Happy saw my back," she said in a quiet voice. Tig hummed as he leaned back on the bed. He put his hands behind his head as he stared up at her ceiling. "What did he say?" Tig shrugged.

"Nothing," he said. Shayla frowned looking down at the blue eyed biker.

"Nothing?" she asked for confirmation.

"Nothing," he confirmed. Tig watched her out of the corner of his eye as she battled with her own inner thoughts. He watched as disbelief and confusion shot across her face.

"So like…" she said as she tilted her head a little. "Do we… do we have to tell him?" Tig hummed indefinitely.

"It's club business. He's an officer," Tig said logically. Shayla pressed her lips together as her limbs drew in a little as if she were shielding herself. Tig watched as a slight panic flashed across her eyes.

"I…" she started, but she flinched as she stopped just as fast. She had to remember her place. She forgot sometimes when she smoked too much weed. Even if it did involve her, it involved the club first. Therefore, she didn't have an opinion. Even if she did they wouldn't care.

She wasn't even an Old Lady.

She felt Tig's hand on her knee. It was a motion that gave her the go ahead and continue with what she was going to say.

"I don't want Happy to know. It may be club business, but it's club business that is in the past and needs to stay there," she snapped. Tig shrugged again.

"It's not for you to decide," Tig said coolly. Shayla rolled her eyes. She knew she would be wasting her breath if she spoke her mind.

"Please, Tig. I don't want him looking at me different," she quietly begged. Tig chuckled up at her as he sat up. He shook his head a little then chuckled again.

"I swear," Tig breathed out. "You got a serious hard on for him, dontcha?" Shayla rolled her eyes at him. She pushed his shoulder roughly.

"Shut up," she demanded. Tig chuckled. He reached out and grabbed her hand and pulled her up from the bed. He started to lead her to the door, but Shayla stopped walking and tugged at his hand nervously. She didn't want to go out there. Happy was out there. He saw the scars. He would ask and she would have to tell him.

Tig clicked his tongue at her as he turned back. He shook his head at her in disappointment.

"Come on, Princess, quit being such a fucking pussy," Tig demanded of her as he tugged her forward. She rolled her eyes at him then glanced over to her mirror. The way she was twisted left more of her back visible to her. Though it was covered by the shirt she was pulling out of the dryer when Happy walked in, she knew where every last scar was on her back.

The marks' placement were permanently etched into her memory the moment they were put on her body. She felt her lower lip go into her teeth. She heard Tig sigh and heard his leather shift as he turned to face her completely. She watched Tig in the mirror as he raised his free hand to touch her cheek lightly. She closed her eyes at his touch and leaned into it a little.

"You heard me, quit being a pussy," he demanded as he dropped his hand. Shayla snorted as she let him lead her out of the room. Happy sat at his usual spot on the loveseat. He was leaned forward with his elbows resting on his knees. He was staring at the television, but Shayla could tell that he had no idea what the hell he was watching. He was off somewhere else.

Shayla went into the bathroom so she could grab her make-up bag and hair products. She came in with an arm full of it all and deposited it on the coffee table.

"Jesus Christ," Tig complained. "At this rate I'm going to starve to death." Shayla snorted as she leaned forward to grab her mirror with one hand while she pulled her hair tie out with the other. She ran her fingers through her hair vigorously as she held the mirror up. She huffed at her reflection as she started to sort her hair out a little.

Happy watched her out of the corner of his eye. She ran her brush through her dark hair. She brushed it this way and that and flipped it as she spritzed hair spray in random places. She gathered all the hair on the back of her head and twisted it around a few times then pressed it to the back of her head. She moved the mirror around in front of her to look at her hair from different angles. She scrunched her nose up at it then let the hair fall around her shoulders.

She began to brush her hair back out. Tig groaned leaning his head back. Shayla gave him a flat look.

"Now listen, Tigger, if we're going to do this, we're going to do it the right way," she said as a matter of fact. She started brushing her hair in a different way.

"Yeah, well, if you don't hurry, I'm leaving without you," Tig threatened. Shayla clicked her tongue at him.

"This was my idea!" she hissed. Tig slid down the couch a little and threw his arms behind his head.

"Whatever, just hurry up," he snapped and closed his eyes. Shayla rolled her eyes then got back to what she was doing. Happy was fascinated. She pulled, what would be her bangs if she hand any, up and twisted them around a little before pinning it to the top of her head. There was a little poof right above her hair line.

She continued by taking the hair at the top of her ears and pulling it up to the back of her head. She tied that portion of hair off loosely then went for the remaining hair. She used one last hair tie to tie it loose at the base of her skull.

She admired herself in the mirror for a moment before she nodded. She looked to Tig and smacked at his shoulder to get his attention. Tig opened his eyes and watched her. Shayla turned the back of her head to him so he could see the back.

"How does it look?" she asked. Tig closed his eyes instantly.

"Like shit," he mumbled. Shayla clicked her tongue as she shot him a look. She looked to Happy.

"What do you think?" she asked him. Happy narrowed his eyes at her.

"Depends," he said simply. Shayla shrugged her shoulders.

"On?" she inquired.

"What you're getting yourself all dressed up for tonight," he said leaning back on the loveseat. Shayla giggled and wiggled her shoulders as a bout of excitement hit her.

"We're going to go check out some of the local bars to see how many suckers there are in this town," she said in an almost singsong voice. Happy eyed her curiously. She reached for her make-up bag and placed it on her lap.

"What do you mean?" Happy asked. If there was some shenanigans to be had, there was no way Happy was going to miss out on it. When Happy asked the question, Shayla withdrew into herself. Tig chuckled as he leaned up on the couch so he could reach for the joint that was sitting in the ashtray.

"Princess is a straight up hustler, man. She'll go into these bars and wiggle her tits around a little and it's an endless supply of alcohol for her for the rest of the night." Happy thought about his words for a moment.

"So we're going out tonight so Shayla can get free drinks?" he thought out loud. Honestly, he couldn't see where that would merit that level of excitement from Shayla. Shayla snorted catching Happy's attention for a brief moment until Tig started talking again.

"Nah man. She does it for the money. You just have to see it." Tig paused so he could shoot a look to Shayla. "If someone would hurry up!" Shayla snorted again, but said nothing else.

Happy tried to pay more attention to the television than Shayla at that point, but it was fairly hard. He watched her out of the corner of his eye as she painted on her face with several layers of makeup. He didn't even realize that there was that much makeup for women to wear.

He watched as she blotted some type of light colored cream under her eyes then she spread it around with what looked like a goddamn egg. She put on another type of cream that was blended with a thick brush. There was no way that there was that much makeup in the world that one human being would need to wear.

Happy thought she looked fine without it, beautiful even, but he could understand why she would go through so much trouble on putting it all on. Once she was done with the… what was it called?... bottom layer of clay… her skin appeared to be flawless, other than the fact that she appeared to have no color to her face whatsoever. She almost appeared to be dead.

That was all taken care of when she pulled out a thing of, what Happy thought was eyeshadow. She started running it up her cheeks and down her nose and Happy was mystified how much definition it gave to her face. He had never watched a woman put her makeup on before. Sure, he had seen Shayla do it, but it was just the basics from what he could tell.

Once she added the color to her face, she stared in the mirror for a moment. She sighed and dropped it in her lap. She looked to Tig who was still acting like he was dozing in his spot.

"We got a problem, Tig," she said. Tig grunted and opened his eye to look at her. "I don't wanna wear this shirt anymore." Tig groaned out loud and sank a little farther into the couch. Happy narrowed his eyes. Why was he causing such a fuss over her wanting to change her shirt? She had already spent the last thirty minutes just putting clay and color on her face. She hadn't even touched the eyes shit that women liked to wear.

"And what do you want me to do about it?" Tig asked. Shayla huffed.

"I need help putting a new shirt on," she all but whined as she nudged his foot with her own. Tig took a moment to mull her words over in his head before he opened both eyes so he could focus on her.

"Why don't you wear one of those skinny strapped shirts of yours. Push your tits up even more," he said and Happy frowned. Was Tig seriously telling her how she should dress? He couldn't even remember seeing an Old Man telling his Old Lady how to dress and here Tig was telling Shayla, the Princess of SOA, how to dress. Shayla didn't seem to mind that he was telling her how to dress.

Instead of being offended, she looked down at her chest and cupped her tits. She lifted them a couple times with a frown on her face. She looked to Tig in question before glancing back down at her chest.

"I don't think I need to lift my tits anymore. At least, not for a few more years. What do you think, Happy?" she asked turning her attention to the aforementioned man. She seemed to flinch a little as she looked to him and if she wasn't wearing so much make-up, Happy would have seen the blush that worked its way up her cheeks. He did hear her clear her throat a little.

Happy knew that she was avoiding his gaze from the moment she had first disappeared in her bedroom. He couldn't really blame her. Something like that would make anyone uncomfortable. He watched her confidence shatter the moment she had laid eyes on him when she had turned to face him. He pushed those thoughts from his head as his gaze wandered down to her chest.

She was right, she didn't need to lift those tits of hers up anymore than they were. They were already nice and perky as they should have been for someone of her age. He would say that she already had a push up bra on, but he was no expert. The shirt she had on was plain, black, and didn't show much below her collar bone. Happy took a deep breath.

"Tig's got a point, little girl. If you're getting free drinks tonight, you're going to have to show a little more skin than that," he reasoned. Shayla sighed as she looked down to her shirt again. She tugged at the collar a couple times.

"Well, in that case, I'll go change my shirt. But I worked my ass off on this hair and make-up. Tig, can you help me change?" Tig rolled his eyes.

"What are you? Two? Figure it out, Princess," he snapped. Shayla rolled her eyes. He was grouchy because he was hungry. Any other time he would have beat her to the bedroom just so he could see her in a bra. She was going to have to get out of her shirt so she could change somehow. She didn't want to risk messing up her hair and make-up.

"Let's go," Happy said as he stood. Shayla looked at him curiously, then shot a look to Tig. He didn't react to it at all. She bit her lip as she slid her gaze back to Happy. He waited by the couch near her. She lowered her gaze from him. "Come on, we don't have all night." She dropped everything in her lap on the table and slowly stood from the couch. She prayed and prayed hard that he didn't ask her any questions about her scars.

Once they were in her bedroom, Shayla dug around in one of her drawers for the shirt she was going to change into. Happy leaned against her door frame and watched her as she dug around. It was a simple, plain black cami.

He watched her as she stepped into it and pulled it up over her hips. She brought the shirt up and under the shirt she already had on before bringing her arms through the sleeves of the shirt. She wiggled the straps over her shoulders before she pushed the shirt up onto her shoulders. The entire time she kept her eyes downcast.

Happy moved in behind her and he saw Shayla visibly tense. She turned to face him quickly. She looked up at him with wide eyes. Her lip was pressed in between her teeth.

"I've already seen them," Happy nearly snapped at her. He was getting very impatient.

"I know," she said quietly. "You weren't supposed to see them. I heard you pull up, but I just… I didn't think anything of it. I'm so used to it being SAMCRO boys." Happy hummed. He supposed he could understand that. The sound of a Harley was something that she probably had played for her to put her to sleep at night when she was a baby. "I… I…" Happy rolled his eyes.

"Spit it out," he snapped. Shayla flinched at his harsh tone.

"I don't want to tell you," she whispered. "About… how…" She looked away from him. Happy didn't like how she was acting. It wasn't like her at all. She was always so very egotistical about herself. She knew how she looked and she enjoyed to flaunt herself around. He had found that out at the party she had went to as his date. He had spent most of the night sticking close to her to keep all the others away from her.

He gripped her chin slightly. He was gentle. More gentle than he could ever recall being with another human being. She looked up at him with wide, bright eyes.

"Then don't," he said simply. He dropped his hand. "Now, how are we supposed to do this?" he continued referring to her shirt. Shayla grinned at him absolutely grateful that he wasn't going to push her.


	10. Chapter 10

Happy had suggested the bar that they were going to head to. The bar itself was typical to say the least. It was a simple brick building that sat in the middle of a paved parking lot. There were fewer bikes around the bar. Shayla wondered if they were fellow Sons or if they were just motorcycle enthusiasts. She didn't see the Reaper painted anywhere on their bikes, but not everyone in the club had that kind of decal.

The inside of the bar matched the outside. It was all so typical. There was a bar that sat in the middle of the main room. It was big enough for three bartenders to be running around comfortably while there were a few waitresses that walked around to different tables that were scattered about. There were six pool tables that were spaced far enough apart to where no one would be disturbing the game next to them. There was a table open, but Shayla didn't worry about that. She was more curious about the games already in play.

There was a group of men that were playing on the tables. There was one group that had a couple women with them so she immediately X-ed them out. She moved onto the next group. They were younger, maybe around her age. They didn't seem to be drinking any alcohol so that wasn't any good. The next group of men were a little more promising.

They were older. And by older, maybe late twenties or early thirties. They were burly. They were confident. They were taking shots. They were perfect.

"There," Shayla said with a smile. Happy and Tig were flanking her as if they were her personal body guards. They followed her gaze to the group of men that were laughing with each other while one lined up his next shot. Shayla turned to face Tig. "Give me… two minutes." Tig narrowed his eyes at the group of men before glancing down at Shayla.

"Two? That's it?" Tig asked unbelievably. Shayla shrugged.

"Sure, why not? No one around here knows who I am," she reasoned. She took a step forward then leaned back to Tig and gave him a teasing smile. "So how about I go introduce myself?" Shayla sauntered over to the table while Tig and Happy sat at the nearest free table. She put an extra wiggle to her hips while she walked towards the men playing pool. Happy watched her from his chair as she came into the side vision of the first man. And just like the domino effect, each man at the pool table turned their attention to her.

Happy couldn't tell what she was doing to them since her back was to him. She should have been giving them that lopsided smile that he was beginning to know well. She could have been saying something to them, but he doubted it as the men didn't say anything to her in response. She stepped in close to one of the men as she ran her fingers along the polished wood of the pool table. Happy watched as she poked her chest out a little farther. He could tell by how her shoulders shifted and how the man's eyes fell a little lower after the action. Happy swallowed a growl.

Shayla turned away from them and made her way to the bar. The men left behind started nudging each other and saying things that Happy didn't know. And he didn't like it. They watched her as she made her way to the bar and climb into a barstool. She put her knees in the cushion and leaned forward on the bar. She arched her back a little to stick her ass out a little farther and Happy found himself swallowing.

"Well, shit," Tig said catching Happy's attention. The man that she had gotten close to at the table was making his way to her with a big confident smirk plastered across his face. Happy wanted to knock his teeth out. The man squeezed in between her and the person next to her. He gave her a big smile which she returned. She sat properly on the stool while they exchanged a few words.

"Come on, dude, hold out for another forty-five seconds," Tig said. Happy glanced over at him to see him staring at his watch more than he was watching Shayla. Happy glanced back over to Shayla. He watched as the man raised his hand to catch the eye of the bartender. He made his way over and the man ordered some drinks.

"Fuck, looks like I'm gonna lose this one," Tig huffed as he threw himself back in his chair. Happy frowned and looked to his friend in question. Tig grinned as the waitress placed a pitcher of beer on their table with two frosted mugs. Happy couldn't remember Tig ever ordering that. A beer and a shot was placed in front of Shayla and she and the man clancked their shot glasses together before tossing the alcohol back.

She slid off the stool and grabbed her beer. She raised her glass to him and stalked off towards Tig and Happy. The man watched her ass as she walked away and she swayed her hips just for him. She slid into one of the free seats and set her glass on the table. Before she could even get situated in her seat, Tig tossed a twenty dollar bill at her. Shayla giggled and made a kissy face at him before stuffing the bill down her bra.

"Personal best," Tig said crossing his arms. Shayla shrugged.

"Maybe, but to be fair, there's nothing but fresh prey here," she said almost bored and Happy narrowed his eyes at her. "I barely had to work for it." She reached out and grabbed their frosted mugs so she could pour them some beer.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah, you're just like your brother," Tig said as she slid a full mug of beer towards him. Shayla snorted at him as she poured Happy's beer. She slid it over to him. She glanced over her shoulder at the man who had bought her alcohol. He was staring at her openly with a grin on his face. She gave him that lopsided grin and wiggled her fingers at him. "Shoulda called you Jax Jr." Shayla giggled at Tig.

"Yeah, because you guys knew what kind of heartbreaker Jax was going to be when I was born," she said with a laugh on her breath. Tig shrugged.

"Either way, you break as many hearts as he does," Tig said sipping his beer. Shayla leaned on her elbow and pointed a finger at Tig.

"And I don't even have to sleep with them," she said making Tig laugh. Shayla laughed with him then turned her attention to Happy.

"I think you picked a good bar, Happy. I believe I'm getting very drunk tonight," she said. Happy took it upon himself to text one of the prospects and put him on standby for a ride home for the three of them just in case. He wasn't going to risk wrecking his bike especially with Shayla on the back.

The night was still early and the three mostly stayed to themselves as they looked around the bar. Shayla was on the search for someone to get pitchers of beer out of. Happy, needless to say, was very impressed. The man that had bought her shot and beer at the beginning of the night kept a steady roll of drinks coming her way and all Happy wanted to do was beat his face in.

Shayla started swaying in her seat and her movements became a little sloppy. Her words became a little slurred. Tig was watching her with amusement shining bright in his eyes. Happy just stared at her slightly confused. He had watched Shayla drink before and she was able to drink a lot. He expected nothing less from someone like her. He was convinced that she would be able to drink Tig under the table after just one night of drinking with her.

All came clear when Shayla leaned in closer to Tig with a flirty grin.

"Do I look convincing enough?" she asked. Tig laughed at her.

"Yeah, you about ready, hustler?" Shayla nodded and slowly stood up. Tig stood with her as he motioned for Happy to follow along. Happy stood with them and followed the pair over to a free pool table. Tig racked the balls while Shayla stood over by the cue rack to pick out her pool cue. Happy watched her as she teetered back and forth a little to feign her drunkenness.

The ass hole that had been sending her drinks all night had made his way over to her. She smiled up at him and the two started talking. Happy wanted nothing more than to walk over and shove the man away from Shayla, but he resisted. He had to remember that the entire thing was an act. Shayla wasn't interested in the man, she was interested to see how deep his pockets were. He watched as the man tried to step closer to Shayla, but every time he did, she would shuffle backwards to put distance between them. The man didn't seem to notice.

Happy watched as the man pulled a cue from the wall and handed it to her. Shayla smiled and nodded a thank you to him before turning away from him. She made her way back over to the pool table. She locked eyes with Happy and rolled her eyes and gave him a disgusted look that went away just as fast as it touched her face. Happy smirked at her.

The game was underway. If that's what they really wanted to call it. Shayla was pretending to suck at pool. She missed almost every shot. She would laugh drunkenly then would shrug a little. Her performance was flawless. If Happy wouldn't have known already that she was faking it, he would have thought her to actually be drunk.

"Looks like you need some lessons over there, Kitty Cat," the man called out from his own table. Shayla glanced over at him before letting a giggle escape her lips.

"I'm actually really good at this, thank you very much," she said in a playful tone. The man grinned at her.

"Could have fooled me," he countered. Shayla snorted as she swayed over to the man. She poked a playful finger in his chest.

"Listen here, buddy boy, I'm the best at this game and I can prove it," she slurred out.

"How so?" he asked leaning against his pool cue. Shayla reached in her pocket and pulled out a hundred dollar bill and waved it in front of his face.

"You, me, one game. Winner leaves with an extra hundred bucks," she presented. Happy figured that a hundred was a little much to open with. There was no way he was going to go for it by any means. Unless, of course, he was a dumbass.

The man glanced over at his friends who were looking a little uneasy about the exchange. He ignored their looks, however, then accepted Shayla's challenge.

He was a dumbass.

And he realized it as Shayla kicked his ass. Once she sank the eight ball, she leaned up with that lopsided grin of hers then looked to the man. She held her hand out to him.

"That'll be a hundred bucks, please," she said. The man glared at her. His friends stood on either side of him sharing his look.

"Fuck you, you little bitch, you hustled me!" he refused. He stepped in close to her and got in her face. Shayla frowned at him and shook her head a little.

"You done went and made the biggest mistake of your life," she said easily. The man never saw the right hook from Tig, let alone the swift kick to his ribs from Happy once he hit the ground. Tig bent down and grabbed him by the shirt and lifted him up. Happy stood over them as Tig dug around in the man's pockets.

Happy watched his friends out of the corner of his eye hoping one of them would step up and defend their friend, but none of them stepped forward. The little cowards. Tig finally found his wallet and pulled it out. He opened it and spread it apart.

"No wonder he didn't want to give Shayla the money. He ain't got it," Tig said shaking his head. Happy frowned looking at the man. Happy shoved his shoulder.

"The fuck you doin' making a deal if you couldn't keep it up on your end?" he demanded.

"You saw her, man! She was wasted! No way was I losing!" he said frantically. Happy felt Shayla's arms drape around his shoulders from behind. Then he felt her lips near his ear and he had to resist the urge to shiver. It was an odd sensation. It wasn't every day that a woman would hang off him like that without getting the go ahead from him.

"Some people called the cops. We need to go," she whispered and Happy smirked. Happy hadn't even bothered with the surrounding crowd. It was already too late when Tig punched the guy. Happy reached out and snatched the wallet from Tig and went through it himself. Sure enough, there was no money in it. He must have been running his card for the drinks that night.

Shayla really knew how to pick them.

Happy looked at the license in the wallet. Tyson Stewart. What a stupid name. He looked at the street address and knew exactly where the boy lived. Happy closed the wallet and tossed it back to Tyson.

"I'll be seeing you," Happy said darkly. Shayla let out a soft giggle in his ear and he felt her squeeze him a little tighter before she stepped back. Happy looked to her whenever he felt her hand slide into the crook of his arm. She had a sparkle in her eye and that lopsided grin that just… just…

Shayla reached out and grabbed Tig in much the same way and started tugging the two bikers towards the door. Happy figured they only had a matter of minutes when there was going to be cops swarming the place. Especially if someone told the dispatcher that the Sons were involved.

"Thanks for the booze. I'm looking forward to that money you owe me," she teased as she made her way to the door with them. Tig snorted and looked over his shoulder at her.

"Of course you would try to hustle money from someone who didn't have any," Tig said as they made their way out into the parking lot. Shayla cackled as she wrapped her arms around Tig's arm and rested her temple on his shoulder.

"Well, you saw how much he was spending on me with every drink he slipped my way. A beer and a shot every time. That shit ain't cheap. I just assumed he had a lot of money. Besides, the way he was acting, it was screaming trust fund baby," she stated. Tig scoffed pulling a cigarette out of its pack and stuck it in his mouth.

"So, what do you think, Princess? We done for the night?" Tig asked as he opened the driver door to Shayla's car. Shayla clicked her tongue at Tig as she made her way over to Happy's bike. Happy was already on it holding out the spare helmet he had for Shayla.

"Come on, I haven't made any money yet. That trust fund shit head ruined it all. I gotta make something tonight," she complained. She strapped the helmet on and got on Happy's bike behind him.

"Alright, then let's get out of here before we end up in handcuffs," Tig said as he slid into the car. Happy felt Shayla's arms slide around his waist.

"And not in the fun way," she said and Happy could swear he could hear the smirk. Happy chuckled as he turn the bike on and they were off to their next destination.

"Those bruises on her face," Happy said as he and Tig watched Shayla play darts. "Where'd they come from?" Tig laughed as Shayla threw a dart and completely missed the board and lodged the dart in the wall. Shayla flipped him off before throwing another dart.

"Ex boyfriend is a junkie," Tig said running his fingers across his beer glass to clear away some of the condensation. "Beat her up a bunch of times, but we never knew about it. She was really good at covering the bruises. He manipulated her to the point to where she started distancing herself from the club."

"He wasn't affiliated with the club?" Happy inquired curiously. Tig shook his head.

"Nah, she's never dated anyone in the club before," Tig said with a shrug. Happy narrowed his eyes in curiosity. He figured someone like her would have been with someone in the club at least a couple times, but it was hard to get close to someone that was untouchable. "Anyways, he put her in the hospital this last time. She said she had told him that she was going to college away from Charming and he just lost it. Went on a bender for a few days and came back in all fucked up and beat the shit out of her. Gemma found her."

"Is he dead?" Happy asked as he subconsciously gripped his glass a little tighter. Tig sighed and shook his head again.

"She didn't want us to retaliate. Said that she wanted us to help him," Tig said with a shake of his head. "He disappeared afterwards. He has some family all over the country so it's hard saying where he ended up. After she got out of the hospital, she enrolled in school."

"So, why did you come with her up here? You're the Sergeant at Arms. You should be up Clay's ass," Happy stated. It was something that he had wondered since the moment that he heard that Tig was going to be coming with no one else from SAMCRO. Tig chuckled.

"Yeah, maybe, but there was no way Princess was going to be running all that cargo up here by herself," he said. "The heat was closing in on us and her coming to Tacoma for school was the perfect cover. The fewer people, the easier it was going to be. I'm staying to make sure she will be okay by herself. Charming is a long ways away."

"You know SAMTAC would take care of her," Happy reasoned. Tig knew just as well as Happy knew that the Sons took care of their own. Tig smirked as he watched Shayla. She was laughing with the small crowd that had accumulated around the dart boards with her. She was making money, that was for sure. He watched her wave around a bill in front of someone's face then would point to the dart board. Whoever she was talking to sometimes would nod their head and would flash a similar bill then they would play.

"Princess is a little different. She wouldn't have felt comfortable having SAMTAC around seeing how she doesn't really know anyone from this charter. She's likes you though, which is weird," Tig admitted. Happy glared at him as playfully as Happy was able. Tig chuckled, but Tig wasn't lying. It was almost instant that Shayla was talking and laughing with Happy. It was like she had known him all her life. Around people she didn't know, she would clam up and wouldn't speak hardly. It was almost like she was scared of the new arrival unless she had a SAMCRO member nearby that could protect her. Her therapist said it was selective mutism that was triggered when she felt vulnerable.

It took her awhile for her to warm up to someone. It was different with Happy. She had admitted that she liked him and felt safe with him. _Safe_, Tig thought watching Happy out of the corner of his eye. Happy was different around her as well. He actually acknowledged her for starters. Happy watched her as she shot darts. There was a gleam in his eyes that was strange to see. Gleams like that only appeared in his eye whenever he was going to be inflicting pain on some poor sap, but there was something about it that was slightly off though Tig couldn't place it.

"So, what do you think of her?" Tig asked curiously. Happy's eyes slid over to meet Tig. They stared at each other for a moment. Happy picked up his beer and took a sip. He looked back to Shayla once he heard her laugh. "It's been a little more than a week and you've been to her place basically every day. You talk to her. Fuck, you let her ride bitch! I didn't even know you had a spare helmet." Happy shifted a little in his seat as if he was getting uncomfortable. Tig was asking pressing questions that would normally get everyone else the death glare that Happy was famous for. Tig wasn't most people though.

"What do you want me to say, man?" Happy asked looking down at his glass.

"The truth would be nice," Tig said sipping at his beer. Happy sighed and rubbed the back of his head.

"It's like you said, Tig. She's not a Crow Eater. She's special." Tig smirked and leaned back in his chair.

"Different," Tig corrected. Happy shot him a look of question. "I said she was different. Not special." Happy gave him that infamous glare that could make mountains tremble.


	11. Chapter 11

Shayla had come home three hundred dollars richer that night. They had went to several different bars and Shayla couldn't believe the number of suckers in every single one. She had grown up playing the bar games from darts to pool. Anytime it was a lazy day around the clubhouse, Shayla would be inside playing SAMCRO. When they had finally made it back to her house, the sun was starting to come up and she was exhausted. She had went straight to bed after giving Tig and Happy their goodnight kisses.

Happy was too tired to drive so he decided to crash on Shayla's loveseat again. For the moment, however, he and Tig sat next to each other on the couch while they passed a blunt back and forth quietly. Happy was trying to ignore the loud ringing in his ears from the last bar. They played their music too loud and it affected the trio.

"So, what's up with those scars on Shayla's back?" Happy asked with the blunt pressed up against his lips. Happy felt the air around Tig go dark. He glanced over and could swear that he didn't even recognize the man sitting next to him. There was fury, turmoil, hatred, and complete anguish mixing into a storm that could match a hurricane.

"You said she was special," Tig said staring up at the ceiling. Happy frowned staring at him. He nodded slowly. "Listen, brutha, what happened to her is club business so I know that you have every right to know what had happened to her. But for her, it's more than just club business, it's personal. She asked me not to tell you, but I will if you want to hear it from me."

Happy mulled over his words a moment. Tig had told him about her ex and that shit was very personal no matter how someone looked at it, but it was a tale as old as time itself with abusive relationships between people. There were so many instances in his past to where he could remember witnessing the abuse with his own two eyes…

"Do you think she would ever tell me?" Happy asked. Tig looked at his friend out of the corner of his eye. Happy looked at him the same way. Tig studied him for what seemed like hours, but Happy just chalked that up to the potency of the weed they were smoking.

"Why do you care?" he asked. Tig didn't sound defensive or angry with the question. Simply just curious. Happy didn't blame him. Hell, Happy was curious about it too. He couldn't say why he wanted to know, why he was so curious about the woman that was brought into his life. Was it because of her bloodline? Was it because of her ties to the club and yet, somehow, she had eluded him for the entirety of his time in the Sons of Anarchy? Was it just her in general?

"I'll let you know when I figure that part out, man," Happy admitted. Tig hummed.

"Listen, man," Tig started up again. "The reason I came up here with her was because I needed to find someone who would be willing to stay with her. Check in on her. Take care of her. I can't be here all the time because my life is back in Charming. I don't know what it is about you, Hap, but she likes you. Probably more than I'd like her to. I would like to ask you to do that for me. I just want you to understand that she's not a Sweet Butt by no means. She's SAMCRO royalty. She's to be treated as such. Now, I don't know how you feel about her or anything and you don't even have to accept, but I trust you with her."

Happy pondered his words for a moment. He had thought that the reason Tig had come with her was because of the guns she was helping to smuggle up to the Tacoma charter. It was a little strange to him though that it was only Tig that had come along, but he figured that Shayla moving up to Tacoma was a good enough cover to keep any heat away from them on the way up and having an escort would make it look suspicious. He was pretty shocked when he had learned that there was a woman that was going to be with him that wasn't even someone's Old Lady. He was even more shocked to learn that she knew what the cargo was. He knew then that the woman that was with Tig was special, he just wasn't sure how.

He honestly didn't know how he felt about her. She was something else that was for sure. She had a kind heart with a twisted side to it. She liked to push people's buttons just because she could. She had an attitude, but it wasn't nothing that wasn't normal from someone of her bloodline. He enjoyed her company, that was also certain. She was always into something; whether it be something crafty or something to do with her computer. She seemed to have an issue with sitting still for long periods of the time and he knew there were going to be times that he was going to have to take her out just so she could blow off some steam. He supposed he had made up his mind.

"I can take care of her while you're gone." Tig nodded before reaching down to clap a hand on his shoulder.

"Thanks, man, but remember, I know how she is, but she's not a fucking Sweet Butt and I swear to God if you treat her like one I'll rip your fucking dick off." Happy chuckled at his friend's threat as he tilted the bottle back for another drink.

Shayla had an interview at one of the local call centers around Tacoma. She had spent the day before recovering from their night out on the town. She had laid around all day smoking weed and napping.

Happy had agreed to take her to her interview since Tig didn't know where the call center was. Tig may have frequented Tacoma, but there was only a few different places that he went to while visiting.

And somehow, _somehow_ Shayla had convinced him to ride in her car with her. Shayla had dressed up nicely, though it really didn't seem like her style. She wore a black pair of stretch pants and flats with a nice sweater over it. She looked like she was ready to address the country. Her hair was styled in a simple, but professional manner and her make up was light, but effective. The perfume she wore filled the cabin of the car and it was simply intoxicating.

She seemed a little nervous, but Happy was sure that she would do just fine. She had talked about her experience working on the phones. She had a customer service job back in Charming that she was able to work from home with. IT personnel would call her for troubleshooting on their computers whenever they weren't able to figure out what was wrong with their computers. Happy didn't think that it was a very busy job, but with the way that she talked, she was able to work over forty hours a week no problem.

It had never occured to Happy that whenever someone called in for any type of customer support on anything that they would be talking to someone in a call center or much less their very own home. He supposed that it made sense after she talked about how it all worked, but he had never really thought about it.

He directed her through the streets of Tacoma until they arrived at the building. The building itself looked more like a small warehouse than anything. There was no windows except for on the front of the building where the front door was. The room just on the other side of the glass looked completely dark, but that could have been how the light was hitting it from the sun.

There were a couple people standing out front smoking. One was a woman with long brown hair that was covered by a hat. She had on a green flannel shirt that hung off her shoulders and around her elbows. She had on a black spaghetti strap shirt under it. She had on a pair of light blue jeans that had huge holes in the knees and what looked to be a pair of converse. The other was a man that looked to be a little more formal with his dark brown beret hat that covered his dark colored hair. He had on a black trench coat with what looked like a casual suit on under it. He wore tennis shoes, however.

They both turned their heads and watched Shayla as she pulled into a parking spot and she took a deep breath. She stared at the building before looking to Happy.

"Wish me luck," she requested. Happy could hear the nervousness in her voice. Happy grinned at her.

"No need. You got this," he said. She smiled just for him then she opened the car door.

"I'll be back," she said as she hopped out. She adjusted her clothes a little before she headed up to the front door. Still, the two people watched her as she approached. The woman flicked her cigarette out into the grass around the building and blew out the last of her smoke.

"Can I help you?" the man asked in a serious tone. The girl crossed her arms over her chest.

"Yeah, I'm Shayla Teller. I have an interview here at two o'clock for the night shift," she stated praying that Happy had taken her to the right place after all. Shayla took note of the word BOOBS in big pink letters with nipples in the Os. There was a breast cancer awareness ribbing hanging off the S. The girl hummed.

"Right, Shayla. I'm Becky, the one who did your phone interview. I'm glad you were able to make it all the way to Tacoma," she said.

"Hi," Shayla greeted.

"You're twenty minutes early," the man said. "That's the sign of a brown noser." Shayla frowned at him unsure if he was being serious or not. Was she going to be able to say something snooty back to him? He kind of gave off the vibe that he would be able to take it if she dished it out, but she wasn't so sure.

"Don't listen to him. He's a moron," Becky said. "This is Jimmy by the way. He's the owner of this fine establishment." Shayla greeted him as well.

"It's James and remind me again why I hired you to be my assistant?" Jimmy asked looking at Becky. Becky snorted.

"Because I don't put up with your shit. Or anyone else's for that matter. And you also wanted to piss Debs by taking her best salesperson," Becky retorted. Jimmy shrugged his shoulders.

"I wouldn't say the best," he teased. Becky gave him a flat look causing Jimmy to laugh.

"Shut the fuck up, _Jimmy_," she spat. Jimmy narrowed his eyes at her.

"You're fired," he threatened.

"I'll see you tomorrow," Becky said turning on her heel and started on her way to the front door. "Come with me Shayla and we'll go ahead and get you all set up." Shayla rushed to catch up with Becky. The girl was much taller than her, nearly as tall as Happy. She was thicker, but wasn't what one would call fat. More like Big Boned. She had an intimidating air about her just from her sheer size, but it was nowhere near Happy's intimidation.

"So, I remember you saying that you have experience with call centers, but not in sales," Becky quipped as she pulled a thick white card from her pocket. There was a small box installed into the wall next to the door with a red light and Becky waved the card in front of the box. The box beeped and the light turned green. Becky opened the door and let Shayla through first.

"Yeah, just customer service," she said with a quick shrug.

"Don't ever say _just_ customer service. You own that shit. The only people that catch more hell than telemarketers are customer service reps. Take it from me. I used to have a soul until it was sucked out working for a cellular provider that, for legal reasons, must remain anonymous," Becky said pointing a finger at Shayla. Shayla grinned at her and stepped through the door. There was a little waiting area with a big chairs sitting just inside. There was a fake plant sitting on a small table across from them and a small table that sat in between them with a couple magazines laying out. There was a painting of a beach at sunset with a couple beach chairs on the wall behind them.

Becky scanned another little black box that gained them entry into the rest of the building. The lobby wasn't very big at all. There was a receptionist's desk that sat to her right that was built into the wall. There was a raised section of the desk in front of it and it was decorated with various things from bobbleheads of random movie characters, to an action figure of Batman and Wolverine. There was a small cup of water that sat on the corner with a small sign that said, _when rippling, T-Rex nearby, vision based on movement, act accordingly_. There was a sign below it that said _It's Been 5 Days Since a T-Rex Incident_ with interchangeable numbers.

There was a hidden phone ringing, but Becky seemed to ignore it. She simply glared at her desk for a moment before she turned to Shayla with the same glare.

"I liked sales. I loved sales. Sales was probably the best thing that had ever happened to me working on the phones. But did I stay? No! I had to follow the money and go back into customer service," she grumbled. Shayla just stared at her. She had said she was Jimmy's assistant. Maybe she had more than one job there. The phone stopped ringing and Becky visibly relaxed.

"Okay, so rule one, don't call Jimmy Jimmy until you get to know him. Address him as James or he will find a reason to fire you. Dude seriously becomes more ridiculous than the IRS when he's digging something up on someone. Rule two, you can wear basically what you want as long as you're not naked. Rule three, we take up a weekly collection of pocket change from all three departments for coffee. There is always fresh coffee so help yourself." Becky paused as her eyes nearly rolled into the back of her head when her phone started ringing. "That thing hasn't rang all day and I've been here since eight this morning." She huffed. "Excuse me." She walked over to her desk and leaned over the side and picked up her phone.

"Thank you for calling the Customer Service Department here at VacaGetaway. This is Becky how may I assist you this beautiful day?" she asked in a chipper tone. She had a smile on her face, though it was being forced, Shayla could tell since her eyes were twitching in annoyance. Shayla grinned as she watched her. She understood all too well how Becky felt in that moment. Being in customer service was the same for everyone she supposed, though it wasn't nearly as bad for Shayla as Becky let on. But then again, Shayla was assisting professionals, not the general public.

She could only imagine how bad it was with the general public. The general public was why she went straight into working on the phones instead of a fast food chain or the local diner.

She hated the general public.

Becky rolled her eyes again and huffed. She held her finger up towards Shayla signaling for her to wait a moment as Becky sank into her chair. She rested the phone on her shoulder so she could keep it pressed against her ear. She started talking with the person on the phone asking why they were calling to cancel their package they had through them. Shayla stepped a little closer so she could try to eavesdrop.

"Well, I do apologize for that, unfortunately life is like that sometimes. It looks like we already had your dates set and it's clearly passed your 30 day money back guarantee so I won't be able to refund your money." She paused for a moment while she held the phone away from her ear. The person on the phone was screaming incoherently at Becky. She looked to Shayla and mimicked shooting herself in the head. Shayla gave her a curious look. "Again, you only had a 30 day money back guarantee, it's company policy so my hands are tied on the subject. So, we'll go ahead and work around this to where you will still be able to have a vacation. We'll cancel the dates that we have set for you right now, I'll add an extra year onto the package along with a cruise that can be used up to a year after you take your vacation. It looks like you're already getting an extra vacation along with a fifty dollar Visa gift card, is that right?"

While she talked, she was clacking away on her keyboard pulling up random things on the computer screen. Her eyes darted about as she spoke. She waved Shayla over. Shayla went and stood next to her desk so she could see what Becky was doing. The screen had several windows on it, all small enough to where they could share the screen. She was scrolling through the spreadsheet looking for the person's name on the row. She found it, and slid the screen to the right. There was a bunch of codes on the screen that Shayla didn't understand. She reached the end of the row, and huffed quietly.

She hummed, letting the person talk.

"Well, our cruises range anywhere from Alaska all the way to the Bahamas. All you would be responsible for are passports, if needed, and docking fees," she said as she suddenly scooted back in her chair. She reached under her desk and pulled out a hidden drawer. Inside was a calendar. She flipped through each month until she got to the month that the package was bought then counted week to week until she got to the current week they were in. She huffed again.

She pushed it back in then slid back to her computer. She stared at the spreadsheet again. She rolled her eyes as she leaned her head forward.

"I mean, disputing this with your credit card company would be pointless because of the contract that you agreed to." She paused for a moment longer. "We have it on recording with you agreeing to everything we covered on the phone and the credit card company will throw the dispute away, so really, you're wasting not only your time, but mine as well." Shayla snickered.

She liked Becky.

She paused for a moment again letting the person talk to her.

"Okay, well, I will go ahead and cancel your dates and make you up a new confirmation package and will be sending it to your email within twenty four hours, but I'll personally make sure that you get it before then. Then when you're ready to take your vacation, just give me a call and I'll get you all set up. Sound good?" She smiled big, telling Shayla that it had worked. "Okay, alright, you have a nice day." She hung up the phone. She grabbed a notepad and jotted down a quick reminder to herself then stuck it in a slot in a filing stand on her desk labeled _DO TODAY BITCH_.

Shayla really liked Becky.

"Rule number four… hell, I don't know, I make this shit up as I go along. Okay, so let me go find Deb so she can meet you. She'll want you to meet the rest of the team today, too. I'll get you everything that you'll need, the script, info on everything that we sell. It's really easy to remember, but we're not going to let you go in blind. So, wait here, I'll get Deb, and we'll go from there," she said. Shayla nodded and made her way over to the coffee pot to make herself a cup of coffee.

Becky disappeared down a hallway that went the length of the building, opening random doors looking for the so-called Deb. She opened the third door and Shayla heard, "Boobs!" being yelled by a few people.

"New girl is here," she stated completely ignoring the boob comment. "I'm going to go get everything that she needs if you want to come out and talk to her."

"Awesome! Okay, we're almost finished here. Would you mind watching the kids for a minute while I welcome the new girl?" a woman said that Shayla supposed was Deb.

"You wouldn't have any kids to come back to if I did that," she reasoned. There was some laughter.

"Thank you, dear," Deb cooed.

"You're welcome," Becky said. Shayla heard footsteps, then a beep signaling another black box that kept doors locked, then a door open then close. Shayla walked over to the hallway. On the right were a few doors that led to God knows where. On the left was a row of windows that looked into the call floor. Shayla walked to the first window and looked in. There were eight rows of computers with four cubicles on each side. The walls of the cubicles were tall, thankfully, and they had windows at the top, but they weren't low enough to where anyone could see the person next to him. There were tables set up at the end of each rows where the team leaders sat, Shayla figured.

The cubicles in front of her were empty and Shayla wondered if that was were the team she was interviewing for sat. It was a small call center and it worried her that the size of it would cause problems in the future. Was it a failing business? Did she have job security? Would the place even be open tomorrow? She heard a door open and people started filing out of the room that Shayla presumed was the room that Becky had found Deb in.

People went different ways in the hallway, and through different doors. The people that went towards her all smiled politely at her and said hello to her as they walked by. They seemed friendly enough. At the end of the line, was a short, plump woman with glasses and thinning hair. She had a smile on her face as she approached Shayla.

"You must be Shayla. My name is Deb. I'm the team lead on the night shift." Shayla nodded her head and held her hand out.

"Shayla Teller."

"Well, Becky said that you would be a good choice to replace her so you better not disappoint her. She'll be one of the ones helping to train you, so I have no doubt that you'll be one of my top sellers," she said cheerfully. Her bubbly attitude embraced Shayla and she started feeling bubbly as well.

"I'm looking forward to it. It may take me awhile, though. I have no sales experience," Shayla admitted. Deb waved her off.

"Nonsense. It's an easy job. It's a thirty hour work week at minimum wage plus commission. It may take you a week or so to get to commission, but once you hit it, the money will start rolling in. There's different tiers on commission so the more you sell, the more you make. Any questions?" Deb asked. Shayla shrugged her shoulders.

"So I got the job?" Shayla asked.

"Well, it's more like a working interview. We monitor you for the first couple weeks and if you don't show any signs of improvement, we… well, we get rid of you, but that's not going to happen, 'cause you're going to be one of my top sellers, right?" Deb fished. Shayla smiled.

"That's right." Becky appeared from a door that was facing towards the front doors with a small stack of papers. She was leafing through them and picking ones out and rearranging them. She stood in front of Shayla as she leafed through them again to make sure they were in order. She moved one around. Her phone started to ring. Becky's eyes rolled.

"I knew he was going to bail out. He always does," she complained. Deb took the papers from her.

"I got this, go do your job for a change," she teased.

"I'm babysitting, remember? I'll get you set up in here," Becky said walking back onto the call floor after scanning her card.

Deb chuckled nonchalantly and shrugged her shoulders. Becky pointed in the corner on the wall alongside the door. Shayla saw two doors there. She assumed they were offices one of which was Jimmy's. James.

"That's my fucking office," she spat.

"Boobs!" the night shift team cheered.


	12. Chapter 12

Shayla clung to Tig. It was the day that he was going to be heading back to Charming. She buried her face in his chest as he wrapped her up in his arms. He had his face buried in her hair. Shayla couldn't believe that two weeks had already passed by. It had only felt like yesterday that they had arrived in Tacoma. This would be the first time in her life that Tig wouldn't be a simple phone call away and she didn't like it by no means. Sure, she needed to get out of Charming and live her own life, but it never really sank in that she would be separated from Tig until the morning he was leaving.

He had already explained that Happy would be the one taking his place, so to speak. She was glad that Tig had found someone to do it. She wasn't aware that he was going to have anyone check in on her and she was glad for it. She had the Club at her back always, now she was in a different part of the country, too far away from the Mother Charter. Now she would have to rely on one of the other charters to take care of her and she wasn't sure how she felt about it. She had a bond with the boys back in Charming, nothing compared to what she would have here in Tacoma.

But at least she had Happy.

She had gotten comfortable with him. She liked having him around. He liked to help her clean up the house even though he wasn't even the one who had made the mess. If she wanted to do something, all she had to do was bring it up and Happy was heading for the door. With Tig, she would basically have to poke him in all the wrong places to just get him off the couch. Happy would disappear for a while each day so he could go to work, but he was always back at her house by the end of the day. He always came in later than usual on Fridays since that was when their weekly meetings were for the club. Tig sat in with one of them just to see how things were going in Tacoma. Apparently, everything was good since no one else from SAMCRO was hightailing it up there.

"I'm going to miss you," she whispered then sniffled. She hated getting so emotional, but dammit, she wasn't going to be seeing her best friend until Christmas and that was only if she was going to be able to make it back to Charming.

Her classes were going to be starting in a couple days and work was going well enough, but she wasn't sure if she was going to be able to do it on her own. She was so used to having someone just a phone call away.

But at least she had Happy.

That was what she kept telling herself every time she felt like she was going to have a panic attack over being alone. She wasn't sure how she was going to be able to handle herself, but she knew she was going to be able to pull through it. She was a Teller. She was SAMCRO royalty. She had to make it. She couldn't let anyone down.

"I'm going to miss you too, Princess. I'll see you at Christmas okay? We'll throw a big party for you and everything." Shayla pulled away from him and wiped her tears away and laughed.

"Okay. You're going to have to watch your back now. I'm not going to be there to watch it for you." It was Tig's turn to laugh.

"I'll be alright, Princess. I promise. Now I gotta go so I can go ahead and put some miles behind me. Because this is going to be a long trip to make by myself," he said pushing away from her so he could grab his bag. Shayla sighed as she watched him rest it on his shoulder then she stepped forward again so she could hug him one more time. Tig held her back for a moment before he pushed her away.

"Alright, come on, you're making me look soft," he said with a chuckle on his breath. Shayla grinned up at him.

"Wouldn't want the ladies thinking that now, do we?" Tig laughed then leaned forward and gave her a quick kiss on the lips. She watched him leave her house and get into the rental car so he could head back to Charming. She turned to Happy who was sitting in his spot on the loveseat watching a movie.

She heard Tig start the car and pulled out of the driveway. She walked over to the couch and sat down with a sigh. She grabbed a joint that she had rolled earlier and lit it up. She glanced to Happy who was watching her out of the corner of his eye. She motioned for him to come over and sit with her on the couch. It was easier to have him sit closer to her so they didn't have to constantly stand in order to pass it back and forth.

Happy stood without a word and came over so he could sit on the couch. Shayla sat sideways on the couch with her back in the armrest and stuck her feet out into the center. She hit the joint a few times before she handed it over to Happy so he could take a few hits himself.

"Looks like it's just you and me now," she said with a small grin. Happy hummed as he took a draw off the joint.

"Looks like it," he said as he blew out the smoke.

"You think you're going to be able to handle this?" she asked after he passed the joint back her.

"Handle what?" he asked as he leaned back. Shayla shrugged as she hit the joint.

"I don't know. This. Me. I'm sure that Tig told you about my scars." Happy shook his head. Shayla stared at him in shock, but didn't press the matter. If he didn't know, then maybe he didn't want to know. They fell into a silence as they passed the joint back and forth.

"Tell me where those bruises of yours came from," Happy said suddenly. Shayla stared at him for a moment a little confused. "The bruises you had when you first got here. Where did they come from?" Shayla was even more confused. Why had he waited so long to ask her about it?

"My ex was strung out on some pretty strong stuff. He came home so high he barely even knew who he was let alone know who I was. I was asleep. I had a pretty bad day at work and basically stripped down and passed out." Happy found his eyes roam her body a little as he imagined what she would look like all stretched out naked under some blankets. He had to look away. "He had come in after disappearing for like a week and came in and started beating the shit out of me. Said a lot of things that didn't make sense."

"And the club let him go?" Happy asked sounding a littler angrier than anticipated. Shayla smiled at him as if she had noticed it.

"I asked them to, but whether they did is another story. I never asked. All I know is that I don't have to worry about him anymore. That's all I was told." Happy grinned at her. He caught himself doing that a lot around her. She impressed him more and more with each passing day. "I just hope, that if he is still alive, that he gets the help that he needs. In the end, he was a good boyfriend." She shrugged nonchalantly. "At least, he was when he was sober. The boys liked him too. He didn't have a patch or anything, which threw them off a lot." Happy eyed her curiously, but he didn't openly call her out on her statement. Shayla chuckled as if she had caught onto his look.

"Well, think about it, Happy. I'm royalty. There are certain things that are expected of me. Like being a proper lady, while still being able to be a badass worthy of the Sons of Anarchy throne. I have to be the perfect Old Lady just like my mom and marry a Son so we can carry on the legacy." She said her words in a mocking tone. Happy watched her from the corner of his eye amused by her words. She visibly flinched and she bit her lip. "You're probably not the one I need to be telling this to." She huffed as she scooted down the couch a little and laid her arms behind her head. "It's not like I have a problem with it or anything. Really, I don't. It's just that… I mean _fuck_ can they be more cliche?"

Happy chuckled. He reached over and patted her ankle.

"What's wrong, Princess? Afraid you won't meet your knight on a gleaming Harley?" Happy teased her. Shayla cackled at him before she yawned. It was barely dawn at that time since Tig wanted to hit the road early enough so he could drive all day to get back to Charming.

"Well, you seen the pickings at SAMCRO. Half of them are too old for me and the other half either have Old Ladies already, are related to me, or are stupid fucking Prospects who doesn't even deserve to smell my perfume as I strut by." Happy busted out laughing and the feeling was odd to him. He couldn't remember the last time he had laughed like that. He hadn't heard a woman talk like that in ages. Sure the Crow Eaters that strutted around knew how they looked, knew how to attract the men, but he had never heard them openly admit how they felt about themselves.

Shayla didn't bother wearing the revealing clothing all the time like the Crow Eaters. Sure, sometimes her shorts were really short and her shirts were really low cut, but there was still more material to her clothing. He had discovered that one of his favorite outfits that she wore was an open sided t-shirt with a sports bra on under it with a pair of tight jeans under it. Because of that outfit, he was able to find out what the skeletal tattoo was that creeped up her side.

It was a human skeleton that started from her thigh going all the way up her side until her rib cage. It was bent forward slightly and it's mouth was open in a devious grin, if it was even possible for a skeleton to have a grin. It's eyes were completely blacked out but it still had a sense of evil in them. It had fangs instead of regular teeth and it had an amulet with the Reaper on it that was dangling out in front of it as if it were trying to hypnotize whoever was looking at it. It was a beautiful piece, Happy thought, but he could have made it look better.

"Careful with that ego, little girl, or else I won't be able to fit you on the back of my bike." Shayla snorted.

"From what I hear, I'm the only one allowed on the back of your bike." Happy shrugged and didn't answer her. They fell into a comfortable silence again and before Happy knew it, Shayla was softly snoring. Happy leaned back on the couch and closed his eyes and was back to sleep in no time.

It was the smell of weed that pulled Happy from his slumber. He opened his eyes slowly to find himself laying down. His head was resting on her stomach. He must have gotten uncomfortable sometime and laid down to use her as a pillow. It didn't help much though because he could feel the stiffness in his neck that promised for a cranky day.

Happy shifted and groaned as soon as he moved his neck. He pushed up from her and moved his head around to work out the crick. He felt Shayla's hand brush against his cheek and he looked at her as her hand made its way to the back of his neck. The movement was gentle and intimate and Happy couldn't recall a woman ever touching him that way. It sent an unfamiliar chill down his spine.

"I know it was an awkward way you were sleeping in, but you haven't moved at all since you started laying on me a few hours ago. I figured you needed the sleep. I can rub your neck if you want me to. It'll help." Her nails tickled the back of his neck as she spoke softly to him. Happy studied her for a moment.

Shayla grinned at him. She wondered if there was ever a time when a woman offered something like that to Happy. There were a lot of things that she said to him the past two weeks that made her wonder if any woman had been in his life. Tig had told her of his reputation with the Crow Eaters before and if she could recall right, she had seen it with her own eyes any time that he was in Charming.

Of course, that was until she started gaining an interest in the silent biker that was currently hovering above her. She liked to "tease" him in certain ways that would throw him off just because she liked the look in his eyes. He was always so calculating; so sure of himself until she moved in a little closer to him. He had gotten used to her little touches that she would give him at times. Now it was different with him. It was getting to the point to where she wanted him to touch her back, but he hardly ever did.

Happy was a very hard man to read. She wasn't sure if his attraction to her was strictly physical or if there was actually something there. She had caught him staring at her at times whenever she would move in a certain way, but she was used to the men in the club doing that. She had never cared for the stares of the others, it was the way she was brought up. She was to always look her best, but when Happy stared she always felt her heart race a little faster.

Happy shifted a little as he put all his weight on one hand and he rested the other on her waist and slid his hand up. Their eyes stayed locked on each other as his hand wandered higher. His hand slipped under her shirt and the cloth started to bundle with each centimeter his hand went higher. Shayla felt as if her heart was going to explode right out of her chest.

Suddenly, his hand was removed from her body and what little weight Happy had on her was gone. Shayla blinked a couple times trying to comprehend what was going on. She bit the inside of her cheek and looked down at Happy. He was watching her out of the corner of his eye with a smirk. That fucker knew exactly what he was doing to her.

"Well, you going to get up here and rub my neck or what?" he asked in a teasing tone. Shayla rolled her eyes, but sat up anyways and handed him the joint that had burned out in her hand.

"Sit up," she said as she she got on her knees beside him and Happy scooted forward a little as he reached for a lighter that sat on the table. She crawled in behind him and settled to where both of them were comfortable. Happy lit the joint as he felt Shayla's hands run up his back through the leather. Her hands came to rest on his shoulders for a moment before he started feeling a slight pressure that made its way closer and closer to his neck.

Happy leaned his head forward a little as she started working the area that was stiff. Happy smoked the joint slowly enjoying the sensation as it tripled with the help of the weed. He leaned back against her as each muscle began to relax under her touch. Happy felt her giggle behind him. Happy had never felt so relaxed before. He felt Shayla press against his back a little more then felt her cheek rest against his head. He felt her breath on his ear and those same unfamiliar chills ran down his spine. He could smell her perfume over the smell of the weed. Or was that her shampoo? Maybe it was a mixture of the two.

Happy's eyes shot open suddenly. He looked down at the joint that had been smoked down to barely nothing. Damn, that was some good shit. He hadn't even realized what he was doing. The mixture of Shayla's touch and the weed had lulled him into a state of mind he hadn't reached in ages. He stood from the couch.

"Happy?" Shayla questioned as she sat on her knees on the edge of the couch. "Did I hurt you?" Happy turned to look at her. He ignored the pain in his neck as much as he could. It was more of a minor discomfort to him than anything.

"I have to go to work," he lied. In all honesty, he had to get away from her as soon as possible before he done something he would regret. Tig had just left. "There's a party at the clubhouse starting at seven. I'll be by to pick you up before then," he said then located his boots.

"But you don't work today," Shayla said. Happy had told her that he had the same schedule for work each week. A perk whenever you were the owner of the business. Shayla gave him a teasing grin. "I didn't realize being touched by a real woman would freak you out so much." Happy glared at her. Who the hell did she think she was to talk to him like that? His hand shot out before he even knew what was happening and he gripped her arm. He jerked her up off the couch and pulled her to him.

Her eyes were wild with excitement and her chest heaved quickly. She felt his arm go around her waist to press her against him. She rested her hands against his leather clad chest. Happy lowered his head a little as if he was moving to kiss her and she immediately tilted her head to meet him, but he didn't kiss her.

"You're not a Sweet Butt," Happy said in a low voice. Shayla scoffed.

"I know I'm not. No need to remind me," she said jokingly. Happy smirked and Shayla returned it. "What's wrong, Happy? Not interested in a pussy you can't kick out as soon as you get off? Or are you just afraid I will show you the time of your life?"

Happy narrowed his eyes at her. She had been acting like that for about a week now. She would speak to him and tease him much the same way she would Tig. He always took her words with a grain of salt figuring that she was just treating him like she did Tig, but the more and more she pushed, the harder it was for him to not give her exactly what she was asking for. He had started teasing her back and Shayla responded in a way he really wasn't expecting. With Tig, she always pushed him away almost immediately. With Happy, she didn't back down and Happy was beginning to like it. Probably more than he should.

"Not even close, little girl, you have school and work in a couple days. You're going to need to be able to walk." The giggle that escaped her lips was hypnotic as she tugged on the edges of his kutte.

"Oh Happy, you and me are going to have _so_ much fun together," she said in an almost dreamlike tone. Happy's smirk returned.

"I'll pick you up at six. Be ready." Shayla watched him leave with a huff.


	13. Chapter 13

Happy had spent the day riding his Harley around collecting money from people who owed money to the club for "services performed". The Tacoma charter's president, Travis, liked to send Happy for collections because of how intimidating he was. Almost everyone had paid up and the ones that didn't got a good beating and were told they now owed interest. He was just glad that he was now an officer. It meant more money for him and more excitement in the club. He also liked that the Crow Eaters flocked to him now that he wore an extra little patch.

He pulled into Shayla's driveway a quarter after five. He was a little surprised to see her door closed. He didn't think she knew how to shut it. It was always open. He stepped up to the door and wondered if he should knock. He could hear some classic rock blasting inside as per usual. He shrugged his shoulders and tried the doorknob. It was unlocked so he went ahead and let himself in and he was so glad that he didn't knock.

Shayla was just coming out of the bathroom towel drying her hair. The towel was covering her face so she wasn't aware of his presence. Other than that, she was completely naked.

And her body was perfect. It had a natural curve to it. Her stomach wasn't completely flat but it was clear that she stayed active and it was also clear that she didn't really watch her diet.

She had two nautical stars, one on each hip bone, as if marking the spot to grab. Her left nipple was pierced. Her pubic area was neatly trimmed leaving just a small patch of fur. He usually liked his pussy bare, but with her, it just seemed so… her.

"Jesus Christ, Happy! Fuck!" Shayla screeched as she hurried to cover herself with the towel. "What the fuck do you think you're doing?" Happy smirked to himself as Shayla darted into her bedroom. Her towel was only covering her front so Happy got a perfect view of her ass.

"Enjoying the view," he said plainly with a shrug. She had left her bedroom door open so he followed her in. By that time, however, the already had a pair of boy shorts and a sports bra on.

"Oh my God, Happy, get out!" she snapped as the reached for the towel to cover herself with again. Instead of leaving as she demanded, Happy stepped into her room.

"I've already seen you," he said passively. Shayla rolled her eyes.

"And you weren't supposed to. It's called knocking, ya know." She made no move to dress herself. She just stood there with the towel that was not big enough to cover her body. Happy smirked.

"And miss the show? Not a chance." Happy watched her swallow as she pondered whether or not to tease him back.

"Get. Out. Happy." Happy stepped closer to her. Shayla went to take a step back, but Happy grabbed her by her waist and pulled her to him. Shayla grabbed onto his shoulders, in turn, dropped the towel.

"Do you really want me to do that?" he asked in a low voice.

"I'm not a Crow Eater. I'm not the type you can just fuck then drop," she said even though it appeared that she was trying to convince herself more then him. Happy's finger brushed across one of the stars on her hip and Sheyla's eyes fluttered a little at the sensation.

Shayla felt her insides melt. She had just put her underwear on and she felt like she was going to need to change them. She wanted nothing more than for him to stay, but she just couldn't. She was better than that. She was above that. She was not a Sweet Butt. And she was not going to act like one.

"Happy, I'm not a whore of the club. I don't drop my panties everytime one of you give me a lustful look. If I did that, I would have fucked the entire club by now. If you want me, it needs to be for more than just my pussy." Her voice was shaky as she spoke. She wanted to completely ignore her mother's voice in the back of her head that was currently scolding her for even thinking of sleeping with Happy as nothing more than a quick hook up and let him completely ravish her just the way she knew he could.

Happy stepped away from her as his face grew serious. She waited for him to respond. She could think of a thousand different ways the next few seconds could go and she was strangely okay with every single way. She gulped hard. Happy stared her down hard. It felt like he could see right through her. She felt he could read her thoughts.

He reached out and placed a hand on her cheek. The touch was gentle and was completely unlike Happy. She didn't even know that he had a gentle side to him. He was always so rough.. Shayla was convinced that gentle wasn't even in his vocabulary. She let her eyes slide closed as she pressed her cheek closer to his palm.

"Get dressed, Little Girl. We'll be late," he said turning away from her suddenly. The sudden movement made her dizzy as her eyes shot open just in time to see the back of his kutte disappear into her kitchen. She gulped again. She turned and pressed her lower back into the dresser and heaved a great sigh.

Jesus, what was she getting herself into?

She dressed quickly and grabbed her makeup bag and her hair products before heading into the living room so she could finish getting ready. Happy was sprawled out on the couch watching Dexter's Laboratory. She had nearly fallen off the couch when she found out that he loved cartoons. He had snatched up the remote one night after getting tired of Tig's incessant channel surfing. She sat down at the end of the couch near his feet and discarded her bags on the table.

She settled with styling her hair in a simple way and left it down around her shoulders. She could feel Happy's eyes on her as she applied her makeup. Shayla tried to ignore it, but all his stare did was make her heart race and her hands shake. She was shocked that she was able to put her eye liner on and her mascara without painting the side of her face. She was certain Happy would have gotten a kick out of that if she had.

"Have you ever had an Old Lady before, Happy?" she asked suddenly. She concentrated on her makeup. She didn't want to see the look on his face.

"Why do you ask, Little Girl?" he asked as he put his hands behind his head. Shayla resisted the urge to swallow that was in her throat.

"I don't know. Just want to know you, I suppose," she said though the tone in her voice wasn't very convincing. Happy hummed.

"Is that all?" he asked as if he really didn't believe her. She fell quiet. She wasn't sure how to answer it. The show went to commercial and Happy muted the television leaving them in complete silence. "No, I've never had an Old Lady." Shayla finally looked to him.

"Why not? I've seen the way the girls are with you. Their panties fall automatically just with a passing glance from you. You could have any one of them," she stated simply as she finished with her eyeliner and mascara.

"I know I could," Happy said simply. Shayla clicked her tongue at him.

"So, why don't you? I'm sure any of that club pussy would love to be your Old Lady," she said as a matter of fact.

"I'm not interested in club pussy like that," he said honestly. She bit her lip a little as she reached for her lip gloss.

"So, what kind of pussy would you make an Old Lady?" she asked. Happy turned the sound back on the television when the show came back on and didn't answer her. She was glad that he didn't. She wouldn't know what to do with his answer no matter what it was. She had never once thought about being an Old Lady before. There was never really a Son that had approached her that she showed that kind of interest in before. That was until she met Happy.

She wasn't sure what it was about him, but she felt like she was drawn to him. From the very moment that she had laid eyes on him in that dark van when she had first showed up. It was his energy, or perhaps his eyes, though she hadn't really looked in them until after they had arrived at the clubhouse that night so they could get the guns off the truck. She couldn't say when she had become attracted to him at all. She wasn't even sure that he was attracted to her.

Happy stood from the couch as she started gathering everything up so she could put it back in its respective places. She put on a pair of knee high boots and made her way to the door with Happy. He got on his bike as Shayla stood next to it to put her helmet on. When she got on the back of it, she wrapped her arms tightly around Happy and rested her head on his shoulder.

Happy watched Shayla from across the room as she sat at the bar with Kozik. They were talking and laughing with each other while they sipped on beers. He figured they were close with each other considering Kozik was apart of SAMCRO once upon a time. There had been a falling out between him and Tig which forced him to SAMTAC. He had noticed that Kozik had steered clear of her until Tig had left. The blood between them was still bad.

He wasn't sure what had happened between the two, except for the fact that there was a dog involved. Shayla had confirmed that much whenever Kozik had slinked over while Tig was off sticking his dick in a Crow Eater. He watched the two as Shayla said something and Kozik put his hand on his forehead in shame. Shayla laughed loudly and it sent tingles through Happy's body.

He watched as Shayla plucked a cigarette from a nearby pack of smokes and lit it up. The Son the cigarettes belonged to glared at her, but didn't say anything to her. Happy was sure that she was already buzzing by that point because he had watched as they took a few shots back to back with each other. There was a possibility that she had forgotten where she was and that an act like that would have gone unnoticed from anyone in SAMCRO.

He had noticed that she only smoked cigarettes when there was booze involved and he was glad for it. Personally, he couldn't stand the smell of cigarette smoke and had even kicked bitches out of his room because they had lit up before they had started fucking. He wasn't about to get that smell in his sheets and clothes that he had in his dorm.

As time went by, Shayla had snatched another cigarette from the discarded pack of smokes that was left on the bar. This time, however, the Son turned to her and plucked the cigarette from her lips and said something that was potentially very inappropriate considering how Shayla looked at him. Happy stood up from his spot as anger shot through him.

He watched as Kozik said something to the Son, but that didn't curb the anger in his eyes. Happy snarled as his footsteps quickened. The Son spat something back that Happy was yet able to hear and Shayla tensed up as she slid off the barstool. She stepped closer to Kozik as he stood from his own barstool.

It was odd seeing her clam up like that. She was always so open with everything when she was around Happy and Tig. She was a Teller, she wasn't supposed to know how to back down, but there she was looking almost scared. Just as the Son stepped forward, Happy was in between them and shoved the Son back.

"You best step the fuck back," Happy threatened. Instantly, he felt Shayla's hands on his back and run down until they rested on his waist.

"Then this bitch better stop taking things that ain't hers!" he snapped back throwing his hand toward her.

"I just wanted a cigarette," Shayla said just loud enough for Happy to hear. Happy looked back at her for a split second before his gaze found the cigarettes on the bar. He snatched them up and handed them back to Shayla over his shoulder. She grabbed them from him in an instant.

"I swear, you so much as look in her direction, I will rip your fucking throat out," he said in a deep, dark tone. Happy watched as several levels of fear shined in his eyes before he stepped back.

"I'm sorry, brother, I didn't realize she was yours," he said holding his hands up defensively. Happy turned and wrapped an arm around Shayla's waist and pulled her in close to him. He heard Shayla release a little gasp and felt her hand rest against his chest.

"Yeah, so you best watch your fucking mouth," he snapped. Happy didn't catch the look of amazement on Shayla's face when he said what he did. Hell, he didn't even realize what he said until he had said it. The Son nodded his head and turned away from them. Happy looked down at Shayla. "You alright, girl?" Shayla nodded her head with that lopsided smile of hers.

"Yeah, all thanks to you," she stated. She looked down at the cigarettes that Happy had grabbed for her. "It was just a couple cigarettes." Happy stepped away from her and threw his hands in his pockets.

"Now they're yours. Quit starting shit," he spat. Shayla laughed.

"What's the fun in that?" she said batting her eyelashes at him innocently. Happy smirked then stepped in closer to her.

"You heard me," he said in a low voice. Shayla gave him a sly look.

"Fine, but I'm not going to like it," she said as she climbed back onto the barstool. Happy leaned up against the bar beside her and signaled to the bartender that he needed another beer. He rested his forearm on the bar in front of Shayla. Shayla ran a fingertip down his arm as she looked up to him.

Happy stared down at her and Shayla could swear that his dark eyes had grown even darker. The sounds around them seemed to grow quieter as they slipped into their own little bubble. Happy was close enough to where she could smell his cologne. She had smelled it before, but that didn't stop her mouth from watering a little every time she smelled him. It mixed together with the leather and the musk that was perfectly Happy.

The beer that he requested was placed close to his hand and he grabbed it. He stepped away from her and made his way to the couch he was sitting on before Shayla pissed off the other biker. That prick. Shayla was right, they were just fucking cigarettes. There was no sense in the bullshit that fuck tried to pull. He was newly patched in and wasn't even an officer. Happy didn't really care for him, but he was a good soldier whenever the moment called for it.

Shayla and Kozik were back to talking to each other as Shayla lit a cigarette. They were acting like nothing had ever happened.

"So, she's not even here two weeks and you make her your Old Lady?" Lee asked sitting next to him. Lee was the Vice President of the Tacoma charter and was soon going to be taking over the club whenever the current President stepped down. Happy liked Lee. He was a good man and would do anything for the club. He would make a good president.

"I don't know what you're talking about," Happy said looking down at his beer. He ran his finger along the side of it and cleared away that condensation that was already starting to appear on the bottle.

"Look at all the Sweet Butts and tell me that you didn't just claim her in front of God and everybody," Lee teased as he tilted his beer bottle towards a small group of Sweet Butts that Happy knew well enough. They were whispering to each other and casting angry glances Shayla's way.

"More than half of them is gonna leave once we figure out who's selling the shit to them," Happy said in a low voice. Lee hummed and nodded his head.

"I met her a few times," Lee said turning their attention back to Shayla. "She's something else." Kozik let out a loud laugh bringing Happy's eyes back to the duo still laughing with each other at the bar. Kozik slapped his knee while Shayla talked with her hands. He wasn't sure what was so funny over there, but judging by Shayla's hands, it was about something rectangular that had something on top of it that fell over. The story must have been over since they both shared a good laugh before they took a moment to catch their breath.

Kozik asked her a question and Shayla perked up. She stood up from her stool, took off her boot, and turned on her heel so she could pull up her pant leg and show the tattoo Happy had put on her. Kozik admired it before speaking to her. Happy watched Shayla's lips as his name formed in them. Her eyes shifted to meet his and her smile grew. He felt a grin touch the corners of his lips. They eye contact lasted for only a split second before she took her attention back to Kozik. She was definitely something else.


	14. Chapter 14

Shayla regretted ever moving to Tacoma. What the hell was she thinking when she agreed to go to Tacoma for school? It was ridiculously cold and Happy claimed that it was only going to get colder. School was amazing and she had made a few friends in her classes. She had managed to make commission after the second week of being there.

It was as easy as Becky had told her. Once she had gotten over the worry of actually asking someone for their credit card information, it seemed that she was making sells left and right. Every night when she got off work, Happy was always waiting outside for her unless he was off on club business then it was Kozik that was waiting for her. The same went with her classes. Happy had her class and work schedule memorized so he could be there whenever she was free.

He had started off riding her to school and work, but it eventually got too cold for Shayla to ride on the back of his bike so she made him settle with following her. Happy stayed with her every night he was in town and had basically taken up residence on her couch. He had paid half of her utilities even though Shayla was able to afford it herself. He had told her that he used his fair share of everything so he was going to help out. She wasn't sure why he felt the need to help her since she didn't have any rent to pay for quite some time, but it was still welcomed.

She had quite the little nest egg growing in her savings with all the money that she was putting back. If she had anything whatsoever leftover from her paycheck by the time she got paid again, she would put it back. It helped that she had a weekly paycheck instead of bi-weekly so it was easier to budget everything. Happy made sure she was paid her credit card bill, which was a good thing because she always forgot to anyhow. Shayla had grown accustomed to him being around. She enjoyed him being around. She was comfortable around him.

Halloween was coming up fast and Shayla had went crazy. She had dragged Happy to the store with her on multiple occasions so she could buy Halloween decorations. She had bought orange and purple string lights that she had spread out around her front porch and topped it off with fake spider webs that she had thrown little plastic spiders in. She had bought little skeleton hands that she had covered with gloves and painted various skin colors and tossed them out into her yard so it looked like she had body parts scattered around.

She had taken red washable paint and covered the palms of her hands then put them up to the windows so it looked like there was bloody handprints on her windows. She wrote "help me" and "beware" messages in red paint on the windows as well. She had bought fake black roses that she had scattered around her house. She had a skeleton hanging from a noose on her front porch as well. Happy thought it was a little overkill, but Halloween was his favorite holiday if he ever had one.

She had talked to her neighbors about the trick or treaters in the neighborhood and she was excited to find out that there was a steady stream of them every year. When she had found that out, she had to go back out and buy a bunch of fake gravestones with various sayings on them (her favorite being Barry D. Live) and lined them out front to make a walkway leading up to her front porch. The only person that Happy had ever seen go all out for the holidays was his mother and he found Shayla's decorating oddly relaxing.

She had made all kinds of little Halloween candies that she took with her to the clubhouse and handed them out to everyone. They were gone within minutes it seemed like. Happy swore that he had gained fifty pounds since the month of October had hit. Shayla was in the kitchen cooking holiday treats if she wasn't working on her homework. One day, Happy was waiting for her to return with Kozik because they went shopping for Halloween costumes. There was no way Happy was going to have any part of that. The only reason Kozik had agreed to go was so he could get himself a costume for Halloween night when Shayla was handing out candy.

Their plan was to have Kozik dress up as something that wasn't all that scary, then sit completely still as kids approached the porch, then when they got close enough, he was going to scare the ever living shit out of them. Happy liked the idea, personally, and there was no way that he was going to miss out on something like that.

They returned with several bags from several different stores. Kozik looked like someone had drained all of his energy. His eyes were lazy and his shoulders were slouched. Shayla had really done a number on him. Happy almost felt sorry for his friend.

Almost.

Shayla dropped the bags down on her kitchen table motioning Happy over quietly. Curiosity got the best of him so he obliged her. She started pulling out all kinds of different candy and Happy couldn't understand why she needed so much. It all came clear when she pulled out little decorative bags. She was planning on making treat bags.

"Wanna get high and help me make treat bags?" she asked waving the bags in his face. Happy frowned at her. There was nothing about it that sounded appealing to Happy.

"Yeah, you help her, I'm done," Kozik said with a huff as he plopped down on her loveseat. Shayla snorted looking down at him.

"It wasn't that bad. You got to see me in all those skimpy little outfits," she said looking down at him. Happy's eyes narrowed into a dark glare and he directed it to the back of Kozik's head. Kozik threw his finger up in the air.

"You're just trying to get my ass kicked, ain't ya," he snapped without looking back. Shayla giggled.

"Well, Happy should have went with me if he wanted to see me in all of those cute little outfits," Shayla said passively as she moved all of the candy and bags to the coffee table. "And since he didn't go with me, he won't even get to see my costume until Halloween night." Happy huffed and crossed his arms. Knowing her, it was something scary or completely ugly. He had no interest in seeing her costume.

"You're such a little tease," Kozik chuckled leaning back and closed his eyes. Shayla shrugged as she went into her room to grab her weed and rolling papers. Happy sat down on the couch and waited for her. She sat down on the floor in between Happy's legs. It had become one of her favorite spots to sit whenever she was doing something; whether it be homework, playing a video game, or rolling joints for future smoking.

At first, Happy found it uncomfortable that she sat there the way she did, but after a while, he had grown used to it. He was getting used to a lot of things Shayla was doing to him. She lit the joint and leaned back while she took a couple hits off it. She handed it back to Happy so he could hit it a couple times. Kozik moved from his spot on the loveseat and sat down on the couch so he could hit it. All the while, Shayla was rolling some more joints so she didn't have to do it later.

Once the joint was smoked and the three of them were feeling fairly stoned, Shayla started opening bags of candy. Kozik slid into the floor next to Shayla and made himself comfortable while she started organizing the candy so it could be put into the little treat bags. She started looking around drastically for something. She dug through the bags with a huff.

"Where are the vampire teeth?" she asked looking at Kozik. Kozik shrugged as he grabbed a piece of candy so he could eat it. She slapped it out of his hand and sent the piece of candy rolling across the room. "Nope, you don't get any of this candy. This candy is for the kids. Your candy is still on the table." Kozik huffed and glared at Shayla.

"But I want this candy," he said reaching for another piece. Shayla slapped his hand causing Kozik to jerk his hand back.

"No, I said your candy is on the table so eat that instead," she snapped. She stood so she could go search through the bags for the vampire teeth. Happy smirked at Kozik while Happy leaned forward and grabbed a piece of the candy that he was trying to eat. Shayla clicked her tongue catching Happy's attention. She was staring at him with her arms crossed. "Now, what did I just tell Koz? That's not your candy-" she dug through one of the bags and pulled out another huge bag of candy. "-this is your candy." She tossed the big bag to the two men.

"Give me my mother fucking candy," Kozik said snatching the bag from the couch next to Happy.

"Where is my fucking vampire teeth? I spent like fifty bucks on that shit alone!" she exclaimed throwing some of the bags behind her.

"Did you leave them in the car?" Kozik asked looking back at her as he opened his piece of candy. Shayla huffed and looked at the door.

"I really don't wanna go back out there. It's cold out there," she complained. Kozik laughed at her.

"And it's only going to get colder out there. Speaking of which, you're not going to be able to wear a bra with that outfit of yours. That'll make it an even more interesting Halloween," he said rubbing his hand on his cheek. Shayla sighed and put her palm to her forehead. Happy reached out and slapped Kozik on the side of his head. She grinned.

"Thank you," she said. She grabbed her jacket and put it on her shoulders. She hurried outside and Happy could hear her car doors slam as she looked through the car for her vampire teeth. She came back in making sounds that proved that she was cold and hurried over to the couch. She jumped over the arm, landed behind Kozik, and pressed herself up against Happy so she could get warm. Her teeth were chattering.

"Pussy," Happy said as he lifted his arm to wrap it around Shayla. She released the bag that had the vampire teeth in it and wrapped her arms around Happy's waist and buried her head in his chest.

"I hate it here. It's so damned cold. I want to go back to California where it's warm all year round," she complained though her words were muffled by Happy's chest. Happy chuckled.

"Oh come on, quit being dramatic. You'll get used to it," Kozik said looking back at her. Shayla lifted her head so she could look at Kozik.

"By the time I get used to it, it'll be summer again and I'll be back in California," she said. Happy frowned looking down at her.

"You're going to go back to Charming? What about this place?" he asked. She shrugged and looked around.

"I'm paid up for the year. I could just leave it sit until it's time to come back for school," she said looking around. "But either way, I am going home for the summer." Happy frowned and looked at the television. The feeling that coursed through him at her revelation confused him.

"What about your job?" Kozik asked looking back at her. Shayla shrugged again.

"Deb said that I can come back whenever I come back to Tacom though she was going to miss me on her team throughout the summer since that is the busiest time of the year," she said raising up off Happy. She crawled over Happy's lap and got back into the floor between his legs. "Now, each bag gets a piece of each candy and a pair of vampire teeth." She opened the vampire teeth and grabbed a pair of them. She put them in her mouth and looked over at Kozik. She hissed. Kozik laughed and grabbed his own pair of teeth. He looked to Shayla and bared his teeth.

"Would you still love me if I looked like this?" he asked though it was a little difficult to get the words out since he was hindered by the teeth. Shayla laughed and sucked in the saliva that was building in her mouth.

"Only if you would still loved me if I looked like this," she compromised. Kozik laughed and nodded his head.

"Deal." Shayla and Kozik started working on the little treat bags. It was still a few weeks to Halloween, but Shayla was determined to get everything done immediately. Happy had caught onto her "get it done yesterday" attitude as soon as October 1st had hit. "So," Kozik drawled out and Shayla turned all her attention on him. "Have you planned anything for Happy's birthday?" Happy felt his stomach drop. He was going to beat the ever living shit out of Kozik the next time he had a chance.

Shayla rested her head back on Happy's lap and looked up at him. She still had the vampire teeth in her mouth.

"When's your birthday?" she asked though Happy was only able to hear some of what she said because of the teeth. Happy glared down at her and left her with no answer. She frowned at him then laid her head to the side to look at Kozik. "When's his birthday?" Kozik grinned at her before he glanced back at Happy. The glare that Happy was giving Kozik went ignored.

"October 13th. Pretty sure he was even born on a Friday," Kozik said with a shrug. Happy huffed and crossed his arms over his chest.

"Really? That's so cool!" Shayla exclaimed finally taking those ridiculous plastic vampire teeth out of her mouth. She turned and looked back at Happy. "How old are you going to be?" Happy frowned at her.

"Don't you know it's rude to ask someone's age?" he teased though his gaze was hard and even. Shayla snorted. She turned around and got on her knees and for a moment, Happy felt all his blood start heading South as he imagined her getting ready to wrap those lips of hers around his cock in that position. He pushed the thought from his head. He really needed to go grab a Crow Eater so he could get the frustration to go away. He had only gotten blow jobs since Shayla had arrived which was unheard of when it came to Happy.

Shayla leaned forward running her hands from his stomach to his sides, under his kutte, and around his back. She rested her cheek on his chest and looked up at him with those blue eyes that pierced Happy right to his soul. She gave him such an innocent look that it almost made him laugh.

"It's okay, Happy, I won't tell anyone your age," she said. Happy narrowed his eyes at her. He was getting ready to answer her, but Shayla shot up with a gasp like someone had stuck a needle in her rear. "Your birthday is the thirteenth? That's four days from now! That's no time to put a party together!" Happy scoffed.

"No parties," he snapped at her and Shayla flinched a little. Shayla frowned at him.

"But it's your birthday!" she argued. Happy shook his head.

"So? No parties. It's just another day," he reasoned. Shayla sat back a little and crossed her arms.

"Maybe, but that day is also your birthday. At least let me make you a cake or something!" By this time she was acting a little childish. Happy hadn't really celebrated his birthday since he was a teenager and that was mostly just because his mother had forced it on him. She would invite a few of his friends over and make them sing Happy Birthday to him, then they would eat cake and ice cream. After that, he would slink off with his friends so they could go get fucked up and cause trouble.

"No," he said and he hoped that was all it was going to take to shut Shayla up about it. Shayla narrowed her eyes in challenge.

"I'm going to make you a chocolate cake. You look like you'd have a soft spot for chocolate," she said. Happy scowled at her.

"No, Shayla!" he snapped. Shayla flinched again as her frown deepened. She looked over at Kozik.

"Is he always like this, Kozy?" she asked. Kozik laughed at her.

"Pretty much, but you know what they say, _every party needs a pooper_." Happy glared at his friend. He felt like the two of them were ganging up on him and he didn't like it at all. He didn't want a birthday party. He hated birthday parties. Especially when they were his own. He wasn't much for being the center of attention and a birthday party was going to guarantee that. Shayla laughed at Kozik's remark and turned her attention back to Happy.

"What if it's a small party? Small like just you and me? Come on, Happy, it's your birthday," she all but whined. Happy leaned forward and got in her face. Shayla didn't back down just the way Happy liked. He hated it whenever he made her flinch or cringe or even shy away from him. He liked her facing him head on. It created a certain challenge in him.

"I said no," he said in a final tone.

"But-" Shayla tried to argue, but Happy cut her off.

"I said no, god dammit!" he yelled and Shayla visibly withdrew into herself. She lowered her gaze from him and folded her hands in her lap. She nodded her head obediently and stood. She walked around the front of the table and stopped in front of Kozik.

"I'm going to go take a shower and put some pajamas on. We can finish the treat bags when I'm done," she said in a low voice. Happy watched her as she walked out of sight. She looked heartbroken. She couldn't have been that upset just because Happy didn't want to have a birthday party. Kozik turned suddenly and was on his knees. He punched Happy in the shoulder as hard as he could. Happy shot up off the couch and squared off with his friend.

"What the fuck is your problem, man? All she wants to do is bake you a fucking cake!" Kozik snapped as he stood to face him. Happy rolled his eyes.

"Do I look like the type of person to make a big fuss over my birthday?" Happy argued back. Kozik rolled his eyes.

"Dude, seriously? You're being ridiculous. Birthdays mean a lot to Shayla. They always have. She has always made a big deal out of them," he hissed. He paused for a moment and shook his head. "Listen, I know that you're not one for birthdays. Hell, you're not one for much of anything unless it's violence, booze, and pussy. Since Shayla has been here… you've been different. Everyone has noticed it. Everyone thinks it's because of Shayla, but I know it's because of her. She cares about you and, I'm sorry, but I think you care about her too. So the least you can do for her is blow out some fucking candles and eat cake. She even offered it to be just you and her. Nothing big. If anything, you'll get birthday sex."

Happy sighed and turned away from his friend. He shoved his hands in his pockets as he began to pace back and forth. He paused for a moment and stared down at the floor. He gave another sigh.

"I haven't fucked her," Happy admitted quietly. Kozik stared at him with a look of utter bewilderment. Did Happy just say what he thought he just said? How the fuck had he kept his hands off her?

"You've claimed her, bro. Everyone knows it. She rides bitch. She sleeps with you every time you're at the clubhouse. You stay with her every single night. And you're gonna sit there and tell me that you haven't fucked her?" Kozik said just to make sure everything was clear. Happy looked to him.

"I haven't fucked her," Happy confirmed.

"Huh. Well, I'll be damned," he said incredulously. "You really do care about her, don't you." Happy shoved his hands in his pockets and looked away from Kozik. Kozik scoffed. "Awe, now isn't that just adorable." If looks could kill, Kozik would have been a little bloody spot on the floor.

"Shut the fuck up," Happy growled.

"I'm going to take off. That way you can apologize to her just because you're a party pooper. Tell her I had club business or something." He turned around and started for the door. His boots were heavy on the hardwood. Happy was glaring at his back. "Oh, and Happy," Kozik said taking a quick glance back. "You better not hurt her. I know she comes off as being a little tough girl, but that's all a front. In all honesty, she's terrified. Of everything. It's really hard for her to let anyone new in her life. The last time she did that, he ended up breaking her even more than she already was. She told me a little bit about it. The guy was a manipulative ass hole and it fucked her up even more." Kozik sighed and zipped up his jacket. "Take care of her, Hap. She deserves it." With that, Kozik left the house.

Happy threw himself back onto the couch. He stared at the television for a moment as he mulled over Kozik's words. He supposed he did care about Shayla. He hadn't stayed at his apartment in weeks. He only stayed in his dorm whenever he was too drunk to drive him and Shayla back to her place. He always found himself grinning every time he came into her view because of the smile that grew on her face. She always managed to make him feel comfortable around her. He was open to her touching him and even kissing on him. He had wondered what her lips tasted like on occasion, but he always chalked that up to the booze and the fact that he hadn't been inside of a woman in weeks. Blow jobs only worked for so long. There was just something about pussy that was so much more satisfying than a mouth.

Kozik had said that he claimed her. It wasn't his intention, but when he saw his brother being forward with her, it sent a rage through him that he hadn't felt before when it came to a woman being involved. She hadn't said anything about it to him and there was a part of him that had completely forgotten that he had said what he said. When he thought about it, claiming her the way he did felt right to him. He didn't want to share her. He didn't want to see her on the arm of anyone else. She was his. There was no doubt about it. Since she never corrected him, maybe she was okay with being his.

Happy was never the type of have what one would call a "girlfriend". He wasn't even sure how to go about having an actual relationship with someone. He knew the rules of the club. How it worked when someone had an Old Lady, but Shayla wasn't his Old Lady. So did the same rules apply? If so, he had already violated them when it came to getting sucked off by one of the weekend whores that liked to stick around for a good time.

He leaned his head back on the couch. Shayla had told him a little about her ex as well, but nothing that Koz had just told him. He had manipulated her and changed her for the worse. Shayla really didn't come off as the type to be easily manipulated and he wondered what had happened exactly to where he was able to pull something like that off. He agreed with Kozik when he said that her ex would be skinned, though he could think of a few more things that he could do to make the man suffer for what he had done to Shayla. No one treated something that was his with such disrespect. He would find her ex and he would make him pay.

"Where did Kozy go?" he heard Shayla suddenly ask. It startled him. He had been so lost in his thoughts that he hadn't heard her get out of the shower. She was wearing a pair of boxer shorts that hung low on her hips and a long sleeve shirt. She had knee high socks on with the X-Men symbol on the side. Her eyes still appeared to have the same level of sadness as they did when she first went to get in the shower.

"Club business. He had to go," Happy said simply. She lowered her gaze from him and moved around to where she could sit in the floor. She didn't sit in between his legs like she had started doing and it caused Happy to frown. She was upset with him and he didn't want her to be. She started making the treat bags without another word. Happy sat there and just watched her. She put one of each of the candy that she had bought in the bags then would toss in one of the vampire teeth before she would tie the bag off. The time went by in a long silence that Happy didnt' like. He was going to regret it, but…

"Red velvet," he said. Shayla shot him a look of confusion. "It's my favorite cake. With vanilla icing." He watched all the sadness melt away from her features and a smile and a sparkle in her eye replaced it. She turned quickly on him and threw her arms around his waist. He chuckled as he rested his hand on the back of her head while she held him.

"I knew you would come around," she said happily against his chest.

"Just don't make me regret it," he told her. She giggled and squeezed him tighter.


	15. Chapter 15

Shayla pulled up another tab on her computer and pulled up a search engine. The day was slow at work so she had some time between calls to do some personal things. She was trying to figure out what she could get Happy for his birthday, but he was a very hard man to buy for. What was he into? He liked to sketch things whenever he was bored so he could remain in practice, but that was more of a personal investment so getting him sketch pads or something didn't really seem appropriate. Even though she was sure he would appreciate it.

She wanted to get him something special, but there was nothing that was coming to mind. What would Happy consider special? She could get him a gun, but there was no way she would be able to afford something like that and she wasn't sure what kind of wait period there was in Tacoma. She supposed she could talk to one of the Sons to see where she could get a gun that was "off the books", but what was so special about a gun with the serial numbers scratched off?

Well, except the obvious.

"How's the new girl doing?" Becky asked walking up to her cubicle. The hat that she wore today said _Shhh… This is My Hangover Hat_. She leaned against the wall and looked on her screen. Shayla looked up at her and sighed.

"It's slow today so I'm trying to find Happy a birthday present," she said staring at the search engine. "But I don't know what to get him." That piqued the interest of a couple others that were waiting for their next call.

"Yeah, I could see where it would be hard to get him any kind of gift," Trixie said leaning back in her chair. Trixie was a recovering addict who happened to know Kozik from group sessions. She had been on hard drugs so bad that they started causing her to have seizures and that was when she was finally decided to get clean. She still had the occasional seizure, but they were far and few in between. "Have you tried asking him?" Shayla turned in her seat as well so she could face out into the aisle.

"No, I've only got three days to figure something out, too. Kozy told me about his birthday last night before he took off," she whined.

"Maybe you should get him condoms. Ya know, because of all that birthday sex you're going to be having," Carl said from beside Trixie. Carl was a six foot five gay guy who was more prissy that Shayla. His weekend normally consisted of Drag Queen shows that Shayla was just dying to go to if she could ever talk Happy into going with her.

"We don't have sex. How many times do I have to tell you guys that?" There were laughs around her.

"And how many times do we have to tell you that we don't believe you?" Becky said waving a finger at her. Shayla rolled her eyes.

"We're just friends, guys. It's okay to have friends that are the opposite sex. Me and Kozy are friends and you guys don't pick on me about him," she defended.

"Yeah, but that's 'cause we know you two aren't sleeping together," Deb piped up as she appeared next to Becky. "There's no sexual tension." Becky shrugged.

"None whatsoever, but when Happy comes by you can cut that shit with a knife," Becky said.

"A very sexy knife," Carl said wiggling his eyebrows. Shayla snorted.

"You're not helping me at all right now," she said.

"Get him a knife. Bikers love knives," Justin called out on the other side of the wall. Justin was a husband, father, and the best salesman on night shift. He mostly stayed to himself, not really caring about anyone else and their not-so-private conversations, but there were still times when he liked to throw his two cents in. Shayla's goal was to beat him one day.

"I don't want it to be typical! I want it to be special!" she said getting frustrated with the lack of help her team was offering her.

"Awe, she wants a special gift for her special man," Justin teased. Shayla groaned and turned around in her seat. They weren't helpful at all. Carl and Trixie got calls so they turned in their seats and started their opening script.

"Well, if you want it to be special, it needs to be something from you. Like from the heart and shit," Becky reasoned.

"What would you get your man?" Shayla asked.

"You just admitted he was your man!" Justin called out. Shayla groaned. By then, Michelle got off her call after losing the customer after she pitched the tour, and turned around.

Michelle was a divorcee that had never worked a day in her life. Once her and her ex husband were divorced, she had no choice but to get a job. She was closer to forty, but she looked younger than what she was. She was a very kind woman who was simply just trying to get on her feet.

"Lingerie always worked for me on birthdays, but you see how well that help my marriage," she joked, though there was hurt behind her eyes. Shayla sighed.

"We aren't having sex remember?"

"Then can I have some of that? Happy looks… mmm," Michelle asked with a twinkle in her eye. Shayla glared at her as anger shot through her like a bullet. She'd be damned if Michelle was going to sleep with Happy.

"Well, I guess we got that answer," Deb laughed as she turned around and walked away so she could listen in on the calls. Becky looked over her shoulder and watched Deb go back to her desk before turning her attention back to Shayla.

"Listen, I know we're all picking on you, but that's just because we pick on the people we like. Don't take it to heart," she advised. "I honestly don't know what to tell you about Happy's birthday present, but whatever you get him, I'm sure he'll love it." Becky winked at her and turned away once her phone started ringing out in the lobby.

A beep sounded in Shayla's ear signaling that she had another call. She pulled up the proper tab and started with her sale's pitch.

The day dragged on with Shayla making a couple sales before they were all finally able to clock out. Shayla found Becky outside talking with Happy who was leaning up against the side of her car. Shayla felt a pang of anger hit her heart as jealousy pumped through her veins. What the hell was she doing talking to him? Didn't she know that women weren't allowed to talk to him? Shayla was the only one that was allowed to talk to him.

Her step quickened as she hurried down the steps to Happy so she could figure out what they were talking about. Happy's gaze found Shayla and he grinned. Shayla stood next to Happy and shot a small glare towards Becky. Becky shook her head as she flicked her cigarette away.

"About that time, huh?" Becky asked nonchalantly as she crossed her arms.

"Looks like it," Shayla said sounding a little more hateful than what she meant. Becky shook her head.

"Awesome, my kid is staying the night with her dad tonight so we can go out," she offered. "Just us girls." Shayla frowned and looked over to Happy who watched Shayla out of the corner of his eye. She was going to go out? Without Happy? Without Kozik? A slight panic gripped her. She had never been out on the streets of Tacoma without someone from the Sons around.

"Uh… I don't know…," Shayla started as she racked her brain for a quick excuse that could get her out of it. She didn't want to go out if it meant that she was going to be alone. She would get in trouble for sure. "I've got a lot of things to do around the house." It was the most generic excuse that she could think of even though she knew that her house was clean and her laundry was all caught up for a change. She just prayed that it would work.

"Nonsense," Becky snorted. "All that will be there once you get back. Now come on, there's a couple places I want to take you." Shayla bit her lip and looked to Happy silently begging him to get her out of it. Happy smirked.

"I was just hanging around to get the key to your place. Left some of my shit over there and I need it," he said with a grin. He knew she didn't want to go out. He just didn't care.

"What shit?" she questioned. Happy shrugged her off. Shayla rolled her eyes. He didn't leave jack shit over at her place. He never forgot anything that he needed. He was just being an ass hole. Shayla sighed and pulled her car keys from her pocket and took off her house key. She handed it off to Happy.

Becky clapped her hands together.

"Alright, let's get out of here!" she said grabbing Shayla's arm. She pulled her over to her Jeep Cherokee and they got in. The inside smelled like a pot plant and Shayla gave Becky a curious glance. Sure, Becky looked like the type that smoked weed, but Shayla had been wrong about people before.

"Sorry about the smell," Becky stated as she turned the Jeep on. "I had to re up this morning before I came into work and I didn't have time to run home. Hope you don't mind." Shayla smirked as she pulled a joint from her bra. Becky laughed.

"I knew you were a stoner," she said with a chuckle. Shayla heard Happy's bike start up and Shayla looked over her shoulder as he backed out of his parking spot. Becky turned on the radio to a local rock station that was currently playing the latest Tool song.

"I'd have to be in order to put up with his ass," Shayla said as Happy pulled out of the parking lot. Becky laughed as she handed Shayla a lighter so she could light the joint.

"He threatened me, you know," Becky said. Shayla shot her a look. Why would Happy threaten her? What had she done? "I asked him if it was okay if me and you went out for a little while and he said that he would kill me if anything happened to you." She put the Jeep in reverse and started to back out. "And I believed him. Is he always like that?" Shayla laughed.

"Not all the time. Sometimes he only glares," Shayla said puffing on her joint. They shared a laugh as Becky pulled out of the parking lot.

"I didn't know you had a kid," Shayla said changing the subject. "Boy or girl?"

"Little girl. Madison. She's eight months old," Becky said, her voice full of pride. "She just started calling me "mama" not too long ago."

"That's cute. I'm no good with babies. They always scream whenever I hold them," Shayla said passing the joint off to Becky. Becky laughed. "So, why are we going out tonight?"

"Because me and you are going to find Happy's birthday present. Or at least get some ideas," she said with a shrug. Shayla grinned at her. That was why she was wanting to go out alone. They were going shopping. "I know that we've told you that you need to leave all your outside troubles at the door because they can and will affect your sales for the day, but I know how hard that actually is to do. We're only human and we can't shut it off like we're machines and this birthday business is starting to affect you."

"I just can't believe that I can't get any ideas for a gift for him. He didn't even tell me his birthday was coming up. Kozik said it when we were getting treat bags ready for trick-or-treaters. He acted like he didn't even want me to know that his birthday was coming up," Shayla said as she grabbed the joint back from Becky.

"Well, just to be fair, he doesn't really seem like the type that gives a shit about birthdays," she said. Shayla shrugged.

"Yeah, but it's his birthday. Birthdays are always a big deal. He's just lucky I'm not throwing him a party. It's just going to be me and him and a cake," she said passing the joint.

"Sounds like a date," Becky said puffing on the joint. Shayla sighed.

"Happy doesn't date," Shayla said looking out of her window watching as the city of Tacoma grew thicker and thicker as they went deeper into the city.

"You sound disappointed," Becky said passing the joint. Shayla sighed.

"I don't know. I just got out of an abusive relationship when I came to Tacoma. I'm not ready for another relationship just yet. I just need to be… me," Shayla said leaning back in her seat.

"It doesn't change the fact that there is something going on between you two," Becky stated. Shayla shrugged her shoulder.

"He doesn't care about me that way," Shayla said passing the joint back.

"Yes, he does," Becky said. Shayla eyed him curiously. Becky shook her head as she put the smoked joint in the ashtray. "Seriously, he does. Why else would he be doing what he's doing?" Shayla sighed as she crossed her arms.

"It's for the club. My step father is the President of the Mother Charter. Happy was asked to keep an eye on me since I was so far away from home," Shayla reasoned. "I know he's attracted to me and I am to him, but the only reason why he's attracted to me is because I'm off limits." Becky snorted.

"I'm just going to pretend I understand what you just said, but you're a grown ass woman and he's a grown ass man. If you two want to be with each other, you should be together," Becky said as she pulled onto another street.

"It's not that simple," Shayla admitted. In truth, it really was that simple. If they wanted to be together, all they had to do was be together. There would be nothing that could stop them. Shayla had never been attracted to a Son like she was to Happy, not even Juice and he was about as sexy as they came, but she wasn't lying when she said that she needed to just be her.

She needed to rebuild herself mentally and emotionally. Having Happy around helped her in those aspects tremendously because any time that something was bothering her, she knew that he would listen to her and would even give her advice. She could recall there being one night that they were getting drunk together one night and she had told him a little about her ex.

She had explained to him that she had been completely blind to the things that Charlie had been doing to her. She had told him how it felt like they were in a healthy relationship and every time something went wrong, how she always felt it was her fault. She had never realized that Charlie was breaking her piece by piece until she was his puppet and it wasn't until the last time that he had beaten her that reality had hit her like a ton of bricks. It was then that she knew that her decision to go to Tacoma was the right one.

She had told him that she was glad that she had met him and that she didn't know what she would have done if she hadn't met him. It was the booze talking, of course, but that didn't change the fact that there was truth behind her words.

"It's not that simple because you're making it difficult. I know what you mean, though, about rebuilding yourself," Becky said pulling into a parking spot alongside the curb. Shayla looked out of the window to see that they were sitting in front of a pawn shop. Shayla raised a brow at the building. "But if it makes you feel any better, I think you're doing very well for yourself. Especially since you're only twenty-two years old." Shayla grinned looking at Becky.

"Thank you. I appreciate it," Shayla said. Becky turned the car off and looked in the mirror.

"I look high," she said.

"We probably smell like it too. Let's go," Shayla said hopping out of her car.

"Don't do anything stupid! I don't want Happy killing me!" she joked as she hurried out of her car.

The pawn shop was set up in a simple manner. There was a huge display case that sat along the right wall where one employee stayed wiping down the glass and making sure everything inside was extra shiny. It looked to be mostly jewelry in that display case. There were a few metal racks that were set up in the center of the shop that had DVD players and other electronics on display. It looked like the back was where they had all the appliances and tools. To the left was a bunch of odds and ends.

Shayla walked around looking around at everything while Becky walked up to the man that was at the jewelry counter. Shayla snorted when she overheard Becky say that her divorce was finalized so she was selling her engagement and wedding rings.

That was when she saw it. Happy's gift. She wasn't expecting to find it so easily, but there it sat amongst all the random shit on the far wall. It was almost like it spoke to her, but that could have been the weed. She walked over to it and picked it up and turned it over in her hands. She wasn't even sure what it was exactly, but all she knew was that Happy was going to love it.

After they had finished up with everything, they decided to go out to dinner at a small diner that Becky loved.

"So, is your now ex husband Madison's father?" Shayla asked while they were waiting for their food.

"Yep," she said popping the P. "We were married for three years before we started trying for a baby and once I got pregnant… things just got different. It was mutual and he wants to be with his little girl so that's all that matters." She stirred her iced tea a little. "I guess it just wasn't meant to be." She sighed and leaned back in her chair.

"I'm sorry. That was rude," Shayla apologized once she saw the pain that was still hanging there.

"Nah, don't worry about it. I'm just feeling sorry for myself. Let's talk more about you and Happy," she said leaning forward again. Shayla rolled her eyes.

"What is it with you and Happy all the sudden?" Shayla asked accusingly. Becky laughed.

"Well, my divorce was finalized and now I guess I'm just all about that love. Wanting people to be happy just like I used to be before shit hit the fan. And I think you and Happy would be cute together," Becky said taking a quick glance around the diner.

"So, you're meddling," Shayla reasoned. Becky laughed again.

"Yes." She didn't sound like she regretted it at all. "But seriously, you two are killing me. He cares about you and you care about him."

"Irrelevant," Shayla countered. Becky rolled her eyes.

"You're being irrational. Listen, while I was talking to Happy outside before you came out, I asked him if he liked you. He got all shifty and defensive, but never answered me. If he didn't have feelings for you, he would have said no, but he didn't," Becky reasoned.

"He clammed up because you asked him a personal question. It had nothing to do with how he feels about me," Shayla said. Becky shook her head.

"You're trying to convince yourself more than me, Shay Shay," Becky inculpated. Shayla groaned as she finally gave in. She let her head rest on the table.

"I know, I know! What am I going to do?"

"Tell him how you feel," Becky said simply. Shayla sighed.

"What if he rejects me and then leaves me? I don't know what I'd do without him," Shayla said truly worried. Becky grinned at her and patted her hand.

"Then we can run away together," she offered. Shayla laughed. "But seriously, he's not going to reject you. I promise you that. I can see it in the way that he looks at you."

"I hope you're right," Shayla sighed as their waitress brought their food to them. And it was the truth. She couldn't lose Happy.


	16. Chapter 16

Happy unlocked Shayla's door and let himself inside. He flipped on the light and took a quick look around. It was weird to be in her house without her there. It was strange, but the house felt darker, colder. He dropped his key down on the table and walked over to the couch. He pulled it out to reveal a small, leather box that had been hidden behind it by him. He had brought it from his apartment since he spent most of his time at Shayla's.

He picked it up and slid the couch back into its spot. The box held a little weight in his hands as he gripped it. He felt an excited chill run up his arm and down his back. He sat the box down on the table and opened it. The inside was lined in red velvet. Various scalpels, pliers, and ice picks were neatly tucked inside. There was a small bone saw placed in a pouch in the lid.

He had gotten a text from Travis saying that they had managed to capture one of the higher ups in the meth ring they were currently after. When Tig and Happy had went after the man that had owed Shayla money, they had discovered that he was a distributor for dealers around the Tacoma area. They had found a pound of that shit laid out on his kitchen table when they went to collect.

They had interrogated him for information on the person who gave him that much meth and Happy had broken three of his fingers before he had gotten a name.

Tiki. That was all he knew and it was all Happy needed.

Happy had broken his hand just for shits and giggles.

They had snitches out in the streets looking for Tiki, but they were always coming up short. Always a step behind, but Happy could feel that they were closing in. The man that was captured was a distributor just like that ass hole Tyson was and he wasn't talking.

That was where Happy came in.

He looked at his watch. He still had a few hours before Shayla would be home if everything went according to plan. He felt a little relief wash over him as Becky asked him if it was okay if they had went out, just the girls. He wasn't sure why she felt obligated to ask him if it was okay, but he couldn't ignore the fact that a certain level of protectiveness washed over him. It would be the first time she would be released on the streets of Tacoma by herself. Kozik wasn't able to follow Shayla home that evening since he was out searching for a lead on the meth.

"_So, are you and Shayla dating, or what?" Becky had asked him out of nowhere. Happy frowned at her._

"_No," he said simply as he crossed his arms over his chest. _

"_But you like her though, right?" she asked with a smile. Happy's eyes narrowed into a glare as he shifted uncomfortably then looked away from her. It was none of her fucking business how he felt about Shayla. _

_Even if she was right. _

_Luckily enough for him, Shayla had walked out of the building and eyed them both cautiously. Happy watched her as she hurried down the steps. Becky looked over her shoulder at Shayla then scoffed. _

"_Uh huh," she said knowingly. _

Happy closed the lid on the box and picked up his key. He locked up Shayla's house then made his way to his bike. He put the box in his saddle bag then reached for his helmet. He sat on his bike as he strapped his helmet on. He took off towards the clubhouse.

Kozik was out in the parking lot of the clubhouse talking to a few of their brothers casually. As if they weren't currently holding someone against their will. As if Happy wasn't coming to torture the poor soul. He turned his bike off then took off his helmet as he nodded to his brothers. He pulled his little box from his saddle bag and held it at his side.

"We're all set up for you," Kozik said. The two other Sons weren't looking at Happy. He made them nervous. Especially whenever he was getting ready to torture. They didn't like that it excited him.

He loved it. He loved the way the blood looked as it poured from the vein he punctured. He loved the way it smelled. He loved the way it sounded when they begged for the mercy he simply did not have. He loved the fear in their eyes.

"Do you want me to go hang out with Shayla?" Kozik offered. Happy shrugged.

"She's out with a friend right now. She won't be home for a few hours, at least," he informed as he eyed the entrance into the clubhouse. Kozik gave him a weird look, but didn't press the matter.

"Well, he should be awake. We roughed him up a little, but we saved the best part for you," Kozik said cheerfully. "Have fun." Happy looked to his friend and smirked.

"Always." He walked into the clubhouse. There were only officers inside. All the hang arounds and whores had been sent away because of what was about to happen. Not everyone could be trusted. Travis and Lee were standing off by themselves whispering to each other about something. They looked to Happy as he approached them.

"It's about time you got here. What took you so long?" Travis spat clearly frustrated with Happy's tardiness.

"Had to go pick up my shit," Happy said moving his hand that held the box for emphasis.

"Yeah, and it has nothing to do with Shayla?" he all but snarled. Happy glared at his President.

"What the fuck is that supposed to mean?" he growled. Shayla had nothing to do with it. He had only been sitting outside of the building for five minutes when the text had come through saying that he was needed. He supposed he could have been out looking with the rest of them, but he had other orders from the Mother Charter itself.

"It fucking means that you're putting that woman first. We needed you out there and since you're so pussy whipped, Titan got shot and had to be rushed to the hospital," he barked. Happy narrowed his eyes.

"The fucks that gotta do with Shayla?" Happy asked as he felt himself go rigid. "It's not like we knew anyone was going to be hurt and whether I was there or not it wouldn't change shit."

"It doesn't change the fact that when we needed you, you weren't there. Since that little bitch came into the picture, your priorities to the club have changed," Travis pointed out. Happy clenched his fist so tight that his knuckles cracked.

"You best watch your fucking mouth," Happy threatened.

"I agree," Lee piped up stepping in between the two. "Now is not the time and this is not the place." Travis looked to his VP then let his gaze slide back to Happy. Travis turned and walked away from the two. Happy glared at his President's back as he walked away.

"He's just upset," Lee said turning to Happy. "It's never easy when one of your men is injured. You're right though, even if you were there, it wouldn't have changed anything. It happened so fast that none of us were able to react in time. It could have been a lot worse. We've already gotten an update from Bulldog. Titan's going to be fine. He was shot in his chest and we were worried it hit one of his lungs, but it didn't. As for that comment about Shayla, I'm going to contact Clay so Travis can be reminded why she's important."

There was a crash behind them and they turned their attention to it. Travis had flipped one of the tables that was in the clubhouse in a rage that wasn't unlike him. Happy frowned at his President. Travis was a volatile man. If Happy had an opinion, he would say that Travis wasn't fit to be President. He thought a President needed a level headedness that Travis simply didn't have. He let his emotions run his decisions too much and that was not the way a President needed to act. Not in Happy's mind.

When he had been voted in, Happy had thought he was a good choice, but not so much anymore.

"Between you and me," Happy started looking back to Lee. "He doesn't need to be President." Lee hummed and rubbed the back of his neck.

"I'm working on it." Happy nodded. "Your guy is in the room. Let me know if you need help."

"Do I ever?" Happy said with a smirk.

He walked back through the hall of the clubhouse to the last door and opened it. The room was completely made of tile with a drain in the floor for when they needed to clean up. There was a shower head right in the center of the ceiling. There was a chair sitting in the middle of the small room with a man tied to it. He had a black bag over his head so he couldn't see anything. There was a small table sitting in the corner.

He sat his box on the table and opened it. He ran his fingers across his tools and grinned. He turned to the man and pulled the bag off his head. He had tape over his mouth to keep him from talking. His face was bloody and bruised from where he had been beaten by his brothers. His breathing picked up immediately as he looked around the room. Happy grinned.

He could smell his fear.

"I'm going to ask you a few questions and you're going to answer them," Happy said simply. "You have one chance to answer them before I force you to answer them. Nod your head if you understand." The man looked at Happy with a crazed look and nodded quickly. "Where is your boss?" Happy reached out and ripped the tape off in one, fluid motion. The man hissed in pain.

"Fuck you," he growled up at Happy. Happy grinned as his excitement grew. He was hoping he was going to say that. Happy turned to his box and pulled out his scalpel. He showed it to the man. He stared at the shiny, steel tool. Happy pressed it against his cheek slowly and cut along his cheek causing the man to groan in pain.

"Where is your boss?" Happy asked patiently. The man glared at Happy, but didn't answer. Happy cut his face again. "Where is your boss?"

"I'm not telling you shit," he growled as he tried to wiggle out of his restraints, but Happy knew that wasn't going to happen. Happy laid the scalpel on the table next to his box so he could use it later. He pulled out his pliers and showed them to the man. The man swallowed.

"Where's your boss?"

"Fuck. Off." Happy reached for the man's jaw so he could open it, but he had bit down hard. Happy shook his head.

"You don't think I can make you do what I want?" Happy questioned coolly. Happy grabbed the man's nose to block off his airway. Happy stared at him with a wicked sparkle in his eye while he watched the man hold his breath. His face started to turn red and his eyes started to water. He finally opened his mouth to gasp for air and Happy didn't even give him a chance to close it again. The pliers were in his mouth and clamped on one of his teeth. "You gonna tell me?" The man simply glared. Happy smirked as he leaned closer to the man. "Good." He tightened his grip on the plier then twisted his wrist. The man began to scream.

The sound that a tooth made whenever it was being forced from someone's mouth made Happy feel giddy. Even more so than a man screaming in pain. The incisor was ripped from his gum in a bloody mess.

"Where. Is. Your. Boss," Happy demanded. The man took a couple deep breaths before looking up at Happy. He spit a bloody wad of saliva in his face. Happy frowned as he stood up straight. He wiped it away before balling up his fist and brought it down on the man's head. His rings cut deep gashes into his skull and blood began to pour. The smell of fresh blood filled his senses and Happy felt his mouth water.

"Fuck!" the man called out.

"Tell me what I want to know before you start losing fingers," Happy threatened. The man sat for a moment as he tried to collect himself from the blow to his head. He shook his head as he tried to clear the fog away. He looked up at Happy.

"I'm not afraid of you," the man said with a shaky breath. Happy chuckled. He knew he was lying.

"I don't expect you to be afraid, I expect you to speak." The man remained strong. Happy glanced at his watch as he turned back to his box. He still had time before Shayla got home. He grabbed his bonesaw. He turned back to the man, not even paying attention to him as he tested the sharpness.

"Hm. It's a little dull," he quipped though it was a lie. "Just means I'll have to use a little more force." The man let out a shaky breath. He was nearly pissing himself and Happy couldn't have been happier. Happy moved to grab the man's hand and separated his index finger from the rest of them. The man whimpered as he tried to wiggle away, but he had no such luck.

"W-w-wait! Please! You have to understand! I can't tell you where he is! He'll kill me!" he begged. Happy laughed in his face.

"The fuck you think I'm gonna do, dumbass?" he asked darkly.

"Then just kill me because no matter what you do, Tiki is going to be worse," he said. Happy frowned. He didn't like competition. Happy cut into his finger enough to saw half way through his finger bone. The man screamed as he laid his head back. His scream ended in a cry. Happy removed the bone saw and tossed it on the table. He grabbed the finger he cut.

"Last chance, ass hole. Where is your boss?" Happy offered. The man heaved a great sigh and let his head fall forward.

"I can't, man." Happy bent his finger. He felt the bone start to splenter just before the man screeched. The man started to thrash in his chair as tears fell from his eyes and mixed with his blood.

Happy didn't stop until his finger was at a ninety degree angle. His bone had completely broken off and the only thing that was holding it in place was meat and bone. The man sobbed loudly for a few moments before he was able to pull himself together and quiet down. Happy felt goosebumps pop up all over his body.

Happy stood up straight and stood before the man. He was going to break. And he was going to give Happy exactly what he was asking for. He was tougher than Happy had given him for starting off and Happy was intoxicated. It was time for him to pull away. He was about to take it too far. He risked wanting to watch him bleed out and die. He had done enough damage and he was going to let him bask in it for a moment before he came back with something much worse.

"All you had to do was tell me what I want. I'll be back for you," he promised as he wiped his hands on a cloth that hung from a bar next to the door. He opened the door and stepped out. He glanced back in at the man who had suddenly became aware of what was happening.

"No! Wait! Stop!" he called out, but Happy slammed the door closed. He turned back towards the main room of the clubhouse and stepped out. All eyes were on him as he appeared. The entire room fell silent. He was used to it. No one there would want to be in Happy's position. They didn't have the mindset for it.

Happy glanced down. There was a little blood on his hands from where he had cut the man up a little and there was a little blood splatter on his shirt. He walked in behind the bar and started sliding off his rings one by one. He dropped them all with a loud this before turning on the sink.

He washed his hands thoroughly then inspected his rings to make sure there was no blood on them then washed the ones that did. Lee stepped in next to him.

"Did you get him to talk?" he asked. Happy shook his head.

"It won't be too much longer. He's getting ready to break." Lee nodded.

"Well the sooner the better. My Old Lady is waiting on me," he said crossing his arms with an expectant look on his face. Happy eyed him while he dried his rings.

Happy's phone buzzed in his pocket and he pulled it out. He flipped open his phone to see Shayla's name. Lee glanced down at the phone.

"Speaking of Old Ladies," Lee said jokingly. Happy glared at his VP as he opened the text.

_I found your birthday present! You're going to love it! _

Happy reached behind the bar and pulled out a shot glass as he stared at his phone. Lee placed a bottle of whiskey on the bar for him. Happy closed his phone. He poured himself a shot and his phone buzzed again. He flipped it open to see another text from Shayla.

_We're stopping to get food. Do you want me to get you anything?_

He hit the reply button but didn't get a chance to type anything as another text came through.

_Unless you just want to eat me for dinner. _

Happy stared at his phone for a moment. He read the text again to make sure that he read it right. His thoughts drifted off as he imagined her legs wrapped around his neck while he licked at her quivering pussy. He imagined her squirming and mewling at his ministrations. He imagined her screaming his name as her juices flowed onto his tongue and down his throat.

Another text came through.

_Sorry, Becky got my phone. But seriously do you want me to pick you up something? _

Happy hit reply.

_Where you going?_

He sent it and shoved the phone back in his pocket. He tipped the shot back and poured him another shot. Another text came through.

_Some diner that Becky says is good. _

Happy hit reply.

_Burger and fries_

She knew how he liked his burgers. He shoved the phone back in his pocket and took his second shot so he could calm his nerves a little. His phone buzzed again.

_I'll be home after we eat. See you in a bit. _

Happy frowned and looked at his watch. He was expecting them to stay out a little later than what they were. He was hoping for it. He was going to have to step up his game to get the man to talk before Shayla got home. He still had her house key and she wouldn't be able to get into her house without it. He flipped the phone closed. He was running out of time and quick. He leaned against the bar.

He was wanting to have the man sit in the quiet room for a moment so he could ponder what Happy was going to do next. It always made it worse whenever he came back. It made the pain worse. It made the screams louder. He walked back to the room and stepped back inside.

The man had his head leaned forward. Blood was still dripping from his cheek. He raised his head quickly and looked to Happy with fear shining brightly in his eyes. Happy gave him a small smirk.

"Shall we continue or are you going to tell me where your boss is?" The man growled as if he was trying to pump himself up and Happy's smirk grew. He reached over and picked up his pliers again. "When was your last dental exam?" The man's eyes widened. Happy chuckled delightfully. "Well, let's just go ahead and check you for cavities."

Outside in the main room of the clubhouse, the screams of the man could be heard by all. Some of the Sons had to walk out unable to handle what was going on in that room. Kozik tilted his beer back as he leaned against the bar. Lee stood next to him as he peered down the hallway.

"The fuck is up Travis' ass, man?" Kozik asked Lee. Lee took a deep breath and looked around the main room for a moment.

"Who the hell knows anymore? He's been acting like this for a while now. With Titan shot, we're down a Sergeant at Arms. We'll have to find a temporary replacement until he's well enough to do his job," Lee said as another scream ripped from the hallway.

"Maybe we should let Happy do it. Travis would _love_ that," Kozik joked. He had seen the exchange between his President and friend. Travis had no right to jump down Happy's throat like that and he was glad that Lee was there to defuse the situation. Happy was already fidgety since he knew that some poor sap was going to be under his knife. Lee chuckled.

"Yeah, that would go as well as a goldfish in a shark tank," Lee stated. Kozik chuckled.

"And Travis would be the goldfish," Kozik said. Lee laughed with him.

"No doubt," Lee said as the man started to scream louder and sob. The two men grew quiet for a moment as they stared down the hall wondering what Happy was doing to that poor soul. "I wonder how Shayla would handle this," Lee wondered aloud. Kozik hummed.

"I've known Shayla ever since I was a hang around down in Charming. Honestly, I think she would be completely okay with it," Kozik said. He recalled moments when he was apart of SAMCRO and all the trouble that Shayla would cause.

Kozik's phone rang. He pulled it out of his pocket and saw Shayla's name on the display screen. He flipped it open and put it to his ear.

"Hey Shay Bug, your ears must have been burnin'," Kozik said cheerfully. Movement caught his eye from the hallway. He looked to see Happy walking back out. This time there was more blood on his hands and shirt and even on his pants. There was a shadow lingering over his shoulders and a glint in his eye that told Kozik that he was enjoying himself.

"Have you seen Happy? He's got the key to my house," she said.

"Now, why would you go and trust someone like Happy with an object like your house key?" Kozik scolded jokingly. Shayla chuckled.

"It seemed like a good idea at the time. Have you seen him? His food is getting cold," she said. Kozik could hear the car radio playing in the background. She was probably sitting in front of her house.

"Yeah, he's right here. We had some club business to take care of real quick," Kozik said vaguely. There was a silence on the other end of the phone.

"Oh well, tell him to hurry up. It's cold as balls outside right now," Shayla said.

"I'll tell him," Kozik said. Just as they were about to say their goodbyes, there were several gunshots. Everyone around instinctively ducked just in case the bullets were flying in their direction. Shayla was screaming in Kozik's ear.

"The fuck was that?" Happy screamed looking down the hallway.

"I gotta go, Shayla," Kozik said and flipped the phone closed. Lee, Happy, Kozik, and a couple other Sons ran down the hallway to see what had happened. Just outside the door of the room where the man was being held, was Travis holding his glock at his side. Happy could smell the gunpowder.

Lee pushed Travis away from the door and peered inside. Happy stood next to him and looked inside. The man had been shot several times in his chest. He was dead. Lee turned on Travis advanced him.

"The fuck were you thinking? He was going to talk!" Lee yelled at him. Travis looked away from him. Lee grabbed him by his kutte and pushed him up against the wall.

"You best start fucking talking," Lee threatened. Travis pushed Lee back and Happy slipped in between them before a full blown fight broke out between the two.

"He threatened my family," Travis said evenly.

"That is irrelevant," Happy said. "I wasn't going to let him walk out of here." Travis looked away from the group.

"Now we know for sure he won't," he said in a dark tone then pushed his way through the crowd.

"You made us lose our only lead to track down Tiki," Lee called out to him. "This isn't going to go unpunished. This isn't how we handle things." Travis stopped at the end of the hallway and turned back to his VP.

"I don't answer to you. Or anyone in this club for that matter," he spat. Lee's frown deepened.

"You will answer to Clay," Lee promised. Travis scoffed before he took his leave.

Shayla sat in her car flipping through the channels on her radio. There was plenty of music on, but she was having a hard time focusing. The gunshots and Happy's voice echoed through her head. She prayed he was okay. He had to be okay. She didn't know what was going on since she was left in the dark about what was going on in the Tacoma Charter. She figured it had something to do with the meth, but she couldn't be certain.

She wanted to pick up her phone and call Happy, but if he didn't answer, she would be thrown into fits of worry. She thought about going to the Clubhouse to investigate, but there was no way she was going to get away with it. She would be in so much trouble. She leaned her head back and said a silent prayer for Happy's safety.

She felt so useless. There was nothing she could do. She wasn't apart of the club. She couldn't go in, guns blazing like she wore the patch. It was times like this that she hated having a pussy. What if Happy was hurt? What if it was worse? What if he had been arrested? Was it the cops that had been shooting? Or was it a rival gang? Was it war?

Hours seemed to pass though it was only about thirty minutes when she heard a motorcycle approach. She looked back towards the direction that Happy usually came from when she saw the headlight of his bike approaching. Her hands clenched and she could feel the sweat that had accumulated in them making her hands slippery.

The motorcycle pulled into her driveway and Shayla breathed a sigh of relief to see Happy. She nearly fell out of her car as she rushed to get out. She hurried around the front of her car and waited for Happy to get off. She rushed forward and wrapped her arms around his waist. She buried her face in his chest and whimpered. She felt Happy's arm wrap around her.

"I thought you were hurt," she said. "I thought I lost you."

"I'm fine," Happy said evenly. Shayla looked up at him with pleading eyes.

"What happened, Hap? I heard gunshots." Happy raised his hand and placed it on her cheek.

"I need a shower," Happy said as a way to change the subject. Shayla nodded her head. They made their way into the house and Shayla flipped on the lights. She turned back to Happy and gasped. His white t-shirt was stained with blood. She stepped forward and placed her hand on his chest. "It's not mine." Shayla bit her lip as she looked up at him.

"Take off your clothes. I'll get them washed for you," she said. Happy nodded as he slid off his kutte and handed it to Shayla. "I'll have your food ready for you by the time you get out of the shower."


	17. Chapter 17

Luckily enough for Shayla, Happy's birthday was on a Saturday so that meant that she didn't have to worry about work. She could focus all her time on his birthday. She had rented them the movie Shrek and Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone. She was supposed to go and see the two movies in theaters, but she never got the chance. She had promised him that it was only going to be the two of them and she was going to keep it that way. She was looking forward to spending an entire day with Happy. Just the two of them.

She stepped out front of the VacaGetaway building and stretched her arms above her head. She loved Fridays. There was always something so magical about them. She looked down to see Happy leaning against her car. She felt a smile spread against her lips as she stepped down to the sidewalk. Since it was Friday, there was going to be a party at the Clubhouse. From what Happy was saying, there was going to be a few men in from the Chicago Charter AKA SAMCHI. She wondered what was bringing a charter from halfway across the country to Tacoma, but she pushed it aside.

"Hiya, Hap. Did you have a good day?" she asked cheerfully. Happy grinned as he slid his toothpick from one side of his mouth to the other. "Me too. I managed to make it to the second tier in commission so next paycheck is going to be pretty good." Happy nodded in understanding. It had taken her a while to reach commission so her paychecks were absolute shit. Shayla glanced over her shoulder when the front doors open. Becky appeared stretching her arms above her head just like Shayla had done. She looked down at the pair and waved.

"What are you guys getting into this evening?" she asked as she trotted down the steps onto the sidewalk. Her hat for the day read _My Boobs Are Down There_. When she looked down, the bill of the hat had a large green arrow that pointed down towards her chest.

"There's a party at the clubhouse so we're probably crashing there tonight," Shayla said as Becky approached them. Becky shrugged.

"Sounds loud and overstimulating," she observed before she turned her attention to Happy. "Shayla told me that tomorrow is your birthday." Happy grunted and looked away from them. Shayla shushed her.

"Stop reminding him! He's grumpy enough about it as it is!" she hissed. Happy glared at her, but Shayla ignored it. Becky chuckled.

"Well, either way, I'm not telling you happy birthday or anything. So," she pulled a card from her purse and handed it to Happy. "This is me not telling you happy birthday." Happy frowned at the card then looked to Becky. Becky turned her attention to Shayla so she could avoid his stare. "Madison is with her father for the weekend so I'm going to go home, get in my jammies, and sit in the quiet." Shayla watched as Happy opened his card. The front of the card was a bright yellow and there was a smiley face on the front.

The inside was a simple HAPPY BIRTHDAY written, but it had been crossed out with a simple line. Becky's name was written under it. Happy shook his head and closed the card.

"There's no money," he joked with a smirk. Shayla giggled while Becky laughed.

"I'm a broke bitch right now. So, how about an IOU?" Happy didn't answer her. "But I'm going to head out. You two have fun tonight and I'll get all the juicy details at work on Monday."

The party was already in full force by the time Happy and Shayla arrived. There were a lot more bikes parked out in the parking lot than normal and Shayla had problems finding a place big enough to park her car. Thankfully she did and she walked into the clubhouse with Happy. They did their routine scan of the party to gage all the different levels that were currently flowing. There were a lot of new faces hanging around. Shayla knew they were from SAMCHI.

She had never met anyone from that Charter as they rarely came that far west, at least to her knowledge. Her curiosity peaked once more as to why they were there. It had to be a gun shipment, but who knew?

A hand waving in their direction caught her eye and she saw Kozik sitting at the bar with a Son she was assuming was from SAMCHI since she had never seen him around before. He had slicked, black hair, high cheekbones, and a glint in his eyes that said he was up to no good. Shayla waved back to Kozik and glanced to Happy to see if he had noticed him. Happy watched Shayla in much the same way.

"I'm gonna go see Kozy for a bit. I'll find you later?" she said nudging him. Happy nodded then walked away from her. She watched him until he blended in with the rest of the leather that was moving around.

Shayla walked over to Kozik and rested her arm on his shoulder.

"Hey, Koz," she said. Kozik wrapped an arm around her waist and held her against him.

"Hey, Shay Bug. How was work?" he said signaling the Prospect that was being forced to bartend that evening. Kozik dropped his arm from her waist. The Prospect came over and placed another shot glass on the bar and poured some whiskey in it.

"It was pretty good. I'm getting better and better. Still a lot to learn though," she said casually. She really didn't want to talk about work since it was officially the weekend, but that was always the first thing that was asked about it seemed like. Like no one knew how to start casual banter in any other way. They had to ask about work. If they didn't, conversation would not insue.

"What do you do?" the stranger asked. Shayla met his gaze. He had dark gray colored eyes and Shayla became a little captivated by them for a moment.

"I sell discounted vacations," she said simply as Kozik handed her a shot. The three of them clanked their shot glasses together and tipped them back.

"Sounds like there's a catch," he said. Shayla laughed.

"Because there is, but it's the weekend and I really don't want to talk about work," Shayla whined as she motioned for another shot. She leaned into Kozy and rested her head against him comfortably.

"Shay, this is Capone," Kozik introduced. "He's from SAMCHI and will be here for a few days." Shayla hummed while she tipped back another shot.

"Long way from home," Shayla commented to Kozik. Capone shrugged.

"Heard the view was a lot better in Tacoma," he stated in a tone that told Shayla there was a hidden message there. She glanced at him out of the corner of her eye and saw him looking her up and down slowly. Shayla looked away from him as a ping of annoyance hit her. She stood closer to Kozik.

"How was your day, Kozy?" she asked hoping to get the attention off her.

"I had a great day. I got a phone call from a special someone," he said cheerfully as Shayla ordered herself a beer.

"Oh yeah? What's his name?" she joked. Kozik laughed and turned in his stool so Shayla could partially sit in his lap. He knew what it meant whenever she slid in close to him.

"Very funny, but I got a call from Chibs," he said pointedly. Shayla frowned and looked at him. She didn't know they still talked. Chibs had never mentioned it to her before.

"Don't really see how I could see that as your special someone, Kozy. He's not really your type," she teased. Kozik clicked his tongue at her and gave her thigh a light tap.

"Yeah, well, we caught up a little, did all that bull shit, then he brought something up," he said vaguely. Shayla narrowed her eyes at the chipper blonde. She had a bad feeling about where the conversation was about to go. "Something about a Christmas fundraiser that you participate in." Why would Chibs bring that up?

"Not sure you could classify it as a fundraiser as much as a charity event," Shayla said as she reached in her bra and pulled out a joint. "What about it?" She grabbed the lighter that was discarded on the bar and lit her joint up. She tossed it back in its place. Every year in Charming, just before Christmas, there was a baseball tournament that happened. Any company in the area was able to participate with a buy in under the condition that they had enough employees to form a team.

The local PD and fire department was the exception with the buy in. The buy in money went for concessions and the like so they could overcharge for drinks and candy and all the proceeds went to the schools. It kept the music, art, and computer programs in school. A bracket was set up based on the wins the year before and they played out the tournament accordingly with Christmas Eve being the championship.

She and Gemma had created the event her Sophomore year whenever they were threatening to shut down the art program throughout the entirety of Charming. The town was completely broke and they had no other choice. The event had saved the program and even was able to buy new science books that were copyrighted that same year. It had been a huge success and it had become Shayla's pride and joy.

"He said you were going to get lazy up here in Tacoma," he said steadily.

"I've done nothing but work my ass off while I've been here," she spat out.

"He said you need a trainer," he said with the biggest shit eating grin she had ever seen on him. Shayla's face fell. It all came clear.

"No," she said in a terrified tone. Kozik laughed almost evilly.

"Yes." Shayla got off his lap quickly.

"No. I'm not doing it," she said waving a finger at him.

"Is that any way to talk to your personal trainer?" Kozik scolded playfully.

"You're not my personal trainer," Shayla said putting a hand on her hip.

"Chibs says I am," Kozik argued.

"Chibs can suck my ass!" Kozik leaned his head back and horse laughed.

"Get over it, Shay Bug, I'm going to make sure you guys win this year," he promised. Shayla huffed then rolled her eyes.

"I'm already regretting this, but fine," she spat. "But just as long as we win."

The party was coming along nicely just as they always seemed to do. The SAMCHI members had come in to run a shipment back out to their clubhouse so they could spread it out to other clubs on the east coast. It was a big shipment that Happy was going to have to tag along on for extra protection. He would be gone a week. He hadn't told Shayla about it solely for the fact that she was still a little spooked from the gunshot that she had heard.

She hadn't asked him any questions about what had happened, thankfully, but there was still the look in her eye every time that Happy went out for club business. She was worried. She knew things were getting bad. Travis killing the man Happy was trying to get answers out of had brought their search for Tiki to a screeching halt. His murder had put everyone into hiding, but the meth was still flowing. He didn't want her to worry anymore than what she already was.

Especially about him.

Shayla sat at the bar with Kozik and two SAMCHI members. At the start of the evening it was only one, but another had squirmed his way over later in the night. They were crowding Shayla even though she was practically sitting on Kozik's head in order to get away from him. There was an anger that bubbled up in his chest when she sat in his lap, but he forced it down with another shot.

He was discussing the route they would be taking with the Road Captain from SAMCHI. This would be the first run that he would make with this particular Road Captain as he was brand new. Happy had made the trip before, but he wanted to make sure that the Road Captain knew what the fuck he was doing. He wasn't going to risk his safety just because someone lacked the proper experience.

Shayla laughed at a joke that Kozik told before he pushed her to get up off his lap.

"I gotta go take a leak," Kozik said patting Shayla's shoulder. Shayla's eyes darted to Capone and Diego. Diego was Capone's brother and they had joined the club together. They had started off friendly enough, typically making remarks towards Shayla that made her skin crawl, but Kozik had shielded her from them as much as possible.

Then with the more booze they drank, the bolder they became. Diego mentioned casually that she didn't have a Crow anywhere that was within sight then the two took a step closer to her. She had hoped that hanging off Kozik made it seem like she was off limits, but that didn't work. Kozik didn't act accordingly. He went on as if he didn't even notice.

Now he was going to be leaving her alone with the horny little fucks and it was hard to tell how far they were going to take it. They reeked of booze and if she wasn't mistaken, she could have sworn that Diego had already taken a Sweet Butt back to the visitor's dorms. She searched the room for Happy so she could have a direct line of safety. He was sitting at the couch with a few different members drinking. She took a quick note of the Sweet Butt that was trying to get his attention, but he saw right through her.

"Hurry back," Shayla requested taking his spot on the stool. He winked at Shayla as he pushed through the crowd.

"No reason for him to hurry back. We'll keep you plenty company," Diego said as he sipped his beer.

"I don't doubt it," Shayla said though her tone made it clear that she really wasn't interested. She turned back to the bar and put her beer on the bar. She ran her finger along the side of the glass to push around the water that had accumulated on the side.

"Oh come on, _Shay Bug_," Capone said. "No reason to be so rude like that. Something like that can't go unpunished." Shayla gave him a sideways glare. Why couldn't they just leave her alone? They were even pleasant up until Kozik had left.

"I'm not interested," Shayla said simply. Diego chuckled and stood to her right in between her barstool and the one next to her leaving Capone to her left.

"I'm sure we could change your mind," he said confidently. She took a drink of her beer. Relentless fucks. Where was Kozik?

"Yeah, we get you back in our room and we'll show you the time of your life," Capone said equally confident. Shayla paused for a moment. What was with all the "we" shit? Then it dawned on her. They were asking for a threesome. That was just… weird. Did that kind of shit happen? Sure she had seen plenty of members take two women back with them sometimes even three, but two men and one woman? And they were brothers! That was definitely something new for her.

She slid out of her stool as politely as possible without getting too close to either brother. She looked over her shoulder to locate Happy. He remained on the couch, but his eyes were on her. She felt a little wave of relief wash over her knowing that he was watching out for her. She looked back to the brothers who were watching her expectantly.

"Sorry, boys, I'm not that kind of girl," she said then turned to walk to Happy. She felt a gentle hand on her elbow and she instinctively turned back. Capone had stopped her.

"You ain't wearing a Crow. Of course you're that kind of girl," he said with a smirk.

"No, I'm really not," Shayla said as she tried to step away from him, but his grip grew tighter. Her eyes shot to Happy who was approaching them quickly. She looked back to Capone.

"What's your price then?" Diego asked stepping in behind her. Shayla looked back at him with wide eyes. What did he just say? She didn't have time to contemplate it. Happy stepped in front of her and slapped Capone's hand away from her. He pushed Shayla behind him and put him distance between him and the two brothers. Shayla gripped the back of his kutte and looked over his shoulder.

"You keep your fucking hands off her," Happy snarled.

"Look, brutha, we've already offered to pay," Diego reasoned. Happy growled.

"She's not a whore," Happy stated. Capone smirked.

"She sure looks like one." Happy ripped away from Shayla's grasp suddenly and he threw a right hook that connected with Capone's cheek so hard he was knocked off his barstool. The crowd around them quickly backed up. Diego's fist connected with Happy's cheek and he seemed to barely react to it. Happy threw a backhand that caused Diego to stumble.

Happy looked back to Capone to see him still trying to clear the stars in his vision. He squared off with Diego who had recovered. Shayla had to do something. Shit had gone bad and it was about to get a whole lot worse. Happy was going to fuck them up and he was going to get in trouble for not handling the situation correctly. He was an Enforcer. Enforcers didn't act like that.

She shot forward without thinking and wrapped her arms around his waist. Happy was tense under her touch. She could feel the heat of his rage through his clothes.

"They're not worth it, Hap," Shayla said in a calming tone. She looked over her shoulder at Diego who was stunned by Shayla's presence. She turned her attention back to Happy. "Come on, they're not worth it."

"Hey!" Travis barked catching everyone's attention. "If you guys got beef then take it outside."

"Yeah," Capone growled as he stood up. He wiped blood from his lip. "Outside." Happy looked back at the man standing behind him. Shayla swallowed hard. She knew what it meant. They were going to bare knuckle box. It was how disputes were settled and sometimes it was how people received their punishments. Capone walked by Happy, making sure to bump into him hard as he walked by. He mumbled something that Shayla couldn't understand. Shayla looked up at Happy.

He watched as the two brothers made their way to the front door of the clubhouse before his gaze fell to her. His body was still tense.

"I'll make them bleed," he promised before he slipped out of her grasp and headed for the front door. Shayla huffed. There was a presence next to her.

"I'm gone three minutes and this shit happens?" Kozik said. Shayla shrugged her shoulders.

"They started it," she said quickly.

"And Happy's gonna finish it. Let's go," he said throwing his arm over her shoulder.

The night air was chilly at best. Shayla wrapped her arms around herself in hopes of warming herself, but who was she kidding? She was never going to get used to the cold. She could see her breath everytime she exhaled.

Quite a few other members had followed them out so they could watch the fight. SAMTAC didn't have a ring like SAMCRO did so they simply gathered in a spot in the parking lot that was able to house the crowd and the three preparing for the fight.

Happy never took his eyes off the jokes from SAMCHI. His fists were clenched at his sides. The look in his eyes screamed for blood. The way his breath puffed from his nostrils made him look like a bull ready to charge.

Shayla found a spot at the front of the crowd alongside Kozik. Happy stood in front of her as he moved as if he was limbering up. He looked over his shoulder to Shayla. She felt a grin stretch across her lips. Happy slid his kutte off his shoulders and handed it back to her. She reached for it as if it was instinct and tucked it under her arm for safe keeping. He then ripped his shirt off as well and handed it to her. She folded it in much the same way as his kutte then placed it on her arm. She felt her eyes wander his body slowly and Happy stood still for a moment as if he was letting her. Happy started to take off his rings. Shayla held out her hand while he dropped them in it.

She couldn't believe the weight of his rings. The size and the number of them could pass as brass knuckles. It was no wonder that he wore them. They were a sure way to lay someone out cold if the moment called for it, but not at this point. Happy was going to take it slow. He was going to make them suffer.

Happy turned away from her and Shayla felt her mouth get a little wetter when her eyes met the eyes of the reaper on his back. The black of the ink hid a lot of the muscle in Happy's back, but Shayla knew it was there. She had been pressed up against him enough to know that he was a solid piece of human flesh.

It was Capone who stepped forward to fight with Happy first. Shayla could understand that, she supposed, he was the one that got knocked on his ass first. His kutte and shirt had been shred as well. They stepped out into the middle of the space that had been created by the surrounding people.

Capone suddenly swung on Happy and Shayla felt herself tense thinking the blow was going to land on Happy, but Happy dipped backwards to avoid it. Happy stepped back into a boxer's stance. Capone took the opportunity to throw a quick jab at Happy, but he sidestepped and countered with a hook. Capone never saw what hit him. Happy hit him again.

Shayla had never seen Happy actually fight before. She had seen him throw plenty of punches, but never a true fight. Happy was good. He was graceful on his feet though Shayla didn't think that she would have ever used such a word to describe Happy. He was able to move to avoid punches very easy, though there were still a few that had hit.

Shayla saw one of Capone's punches land square on Happy's nose. A blow like that was enough to disorient anyone. Happy didn't even appear to notice the blow, but he did put some space between him and Capone when it had happened. Shayla saw blood already pouring from his nose, but Happy made no move to wipe it away. It ran down over his lips and dripped from his chin. Puffs of breath appeared steadily out of his mouth and circled around his head. The smile that grew on his lips made him look demonic.

Happy charged Capone and started swinging rapidly. Capone was trying to block and dodge as many as he could, but they were few and far in between. Shayla was having a hard time keeping up. Happy was fast. He was even faster than Chibs. Capone was suddenly on his back and Happy was on top of him throwing blow after blow down on Capone's face.

Happy was pulled away from him and was pushed to the other side of the center space. Happy was breathing heavy as if each breath he took leveled out the adrenaline in his system. Shayla watched in awe as Happy's eyes slid from Capone to Diego. Happy smirked as he raised his hand and motioned for Diego to come closer with his finger. Blood stained his teeth. It was like he was possessed.

Diego stepped into the center confidently. Or as confidently as one could when they just witnessed their brother get the ass whooping of the century. Happy didn't even look partially tired. Diego had taken off his kutte and shirt as well. Diego was built much like Happy.

Their fight was fast and brutal. Happy had no mercy. Happy beat him down like he was ready to kill him. Happy wanted to see him bleed. Happy wanted to see him in pain. Both of them. And it was bringing him pure pleasure. Shayla bit her lip as he was pulled away from Diego to keep Happy from ending him. The entire crowd was in an uproar around Shayla, but she wasn't paying them much attention.

Her eyes were fixed on Happy. He didn't turn to the crowd so he could bask in their praise. He didn't flaunt his victory. His eyes were on crowd around her was put on mute as Happy stepped towards her. He walked right through the crowd that had gathered around him and separated him and Shayla. People slapped him on the shoulder as he walked by, but they didn't exist to him.

He stopped in front of her. He reached out for his kutte. Shayla looked down to notice that she had his kutte clutched tightly against her chest. Her fist was clenched around his rings so tight that her knuckles were hurting. Happy threw his kutte on then spit a little blood out on the pavement. He spun Shayla around and wrapped his arm around her waist. He led her back into the clubhouse, the message he was intending to send had been recieved.

Shayla belonged to him.


	18. Chapter 18

Shayla woke up the next morning with a groan. She curled up in a ball and pulled the blanket upwards. She was half expecting to be hungover considering she didn't really eat that much the day before then spent the entire night drinking with Happy and Kozik. Maybe she wasn't hungover because she had managed to wake up drunk. Something was out of sorts with her, she just wasn't sure what.

She raised her head off the pillow and squinted her eyes to focus them. Happy lay beside her while Shayla used his arm as a pillow. She looked on his nightstand to see what time it was.

Six A.M.

That explained the weird feeling she had. She had only been asleep for about two hours. She felt fully rested even though she knew it was a lie. She ran her fingers over her eyes to relieve the weird pressure she had behind them. She wondered why she had woken up. Normally if she was that drunk and stoned she was able to sleep all throughout the night and most of the next day because of the hangover she was supporting.

Shayla looked behind her on her nightstand to find half a joint laying in front of the lamp. She sat up in bed and made herself comfortable as she reached over and grabbed the joint. She opened the drawer that was in the nightstand. She pulled out a small paper plate and sat it in her lap. She grabbed a small pipe that she kept in Happy's drawer for safe keeping. She tore the joint open and dropped the weed onto the plate.

"What time is it?" Happy asked her with an extra gruff voice. Shayla nearly jumped out of her skin at his sudden voice.

"Six. I was just going to smoke so I could go back to sleep," she said. Happy yawned as he ran a hand over his face. He rolled over on his back and stared at the ceiling. He yawned again. Shayla grinned looking down at him while she pinched a little of the weed and put it into her bowl. She grabbed her lighter from the nightstand. She leaned down quickly and gave Happy a quick kiss to his cheek. Happy glared up at her just as he always did when she stole a kiss.

"Happy birthday," she said with an excited tone. Happy rolled his eyes. Shayla took a hit from her bowl then offered it to Happy. Happy sat up a little in bed then took the pipe. He hit himself before handing it back to her. They smoked it down in silence. Shayla sat the paraphernalia down on the nightstand before she snuggled down into the blankets.

She lay facing Happy who was still sitting up in bed. He smelled like booze and sweat. She couldn't tell if his face had bruised from the fights that night before because the only lighting in the room at that point was the red glow from the alarm clock. It lit up the room a lot more than what Shayla figured a simple little clock would be able to.

"So, really, how old _are_ you, Hap?" Shayla asked as she ran a finger down his arm. Happy watched her hand go down his arm.

"Twenty-nine," he finally admitted. She had been trying to get him to tell her his age from the moment that she had discovered his birthday. He refused to tell her no matter how much she begged. Shayla didn't know why he was keeping his age from her like he was, but if she didn't know any better, he just liked it when she begged.

"So you're seven years older than me," Shayla observed. Happy hummed the affirmative. Shayla grabbed his wrist and pulled his arm up. She slid in next to him and rested her head on his shoulder. "I do believe you're getting old, Mr. Lowman," she joked. Happy glared down at her as he let his hand lay loosely on the bed.

"I feel like it," he murmured into the darkness of the room. Shayla's body began to relax once the weed started to settle. She felt her eyes start to grow heavier and heavier until she just couldn't keep them open anymore.

Happy felt Shayla go limp as she drifted off back to sleep. She was still in a light sleep since she hadn't started snoring quite yet, but Happy knew it was only a matter of time before he could hear her. Happy turned his head so he could bury his face in the top of her head. He breathed in slowly. She smelled of cigarette and weed smoke and the perfume she wore. He picked up his arm a little so he could run his fingers through her hair, but he didn't want to wake her back up. He let it fall back onto the bed.

Happy felt his eyes start to drift closed and sleep took over him again.

Happy was awakened some time later to Shayla twitching next to him. She wasn't snoring in his ear as much since she was mumbling something incomprehensible. He looked down at her once he became aware that something was wrong. He noticed that it was brighter in his dorm signaling it was passed dawn. He raised his hand to the back of her head and slid his fingers into her hair. She mumbled in protest at his motion as she buried her face into his side.

She was having nightmare. And it looked like a bad one. There had been times that Shayla would be asleep and would start mumbling. Sometimes she would say random things in her sleep, like the time she called Jax a dumb fuck because he didn't know how to use a gummy bear sword, but this was different. When she mumbled, it sounded like she was in some form of distress. Happy tried to listen as carefully as he could so he could make out her words, but they were unintelligible. Happy looked over at his clock.

Eight AM.

She had only gotten two more hours of sleep. He was surprised that she was even dreaming since she had been so inebriated the night before. He had never seen a woman that was able to drink so much that was still able to walk. Even if that walk was mostly taking a step then waiting to regain balance to take another step. He rolled towards her a little and rested his hand on her hip. He shushed her quietly hoping that it would be enough to soothe her. She moved a little closer to Happy as if seeking his comfort though it appeared that it wasn't offering her much.

"N-no," she whimpered. Happy frowned as she gripped at his shirt. She was trying to pull him closer to her. Happy's arm slid around her waist as he pressed her up against him. He tried shushing her again. She mumbled in protest as she squirmed in his grasp. Happy loosened his grip hoping that doing so would ease her.

"Please," she begged. "Just let me go." Happy lifted his head and looked down at her. The arm around her waist wan s lifted as he brought his hand to her face. As soon as his skin touched hers, she whimpered and turned her head away from him.

"NO!" she screamed, but she still wasn't waking up. She started pushing against him.

"Hey, hey, Shayla, wake up," Happy said. Shayla started wiggling again as she tried to push away from him. "Shayla!" Shayla's eyes shot open with a gasp. She shot up in bed and took a quick look around. She was hyperventilating. Her eyes darted to every corner of the room as if she was expecting something or someone to be there.

"Shayla," Happy said softly. Shayla's eyes shot to him. For a moment, it looked like she was confused about Happy being there. Almost like she didn't recognize him. She broke eye contact and took another look around his dorm. She looked like she was trying to sort everything out in her head. Her breathing started to level out before she chose to look at Happy again.

"They came for me," she whispered. She sounded completely terrified. Happy gave her a curious look.

"Who?" he questioned. Shayla's face twisted in confusion again. She looked away from him so she could look around the room once more. Her eyes slid closed as she released a calming breath.

"It was a dream," she realized. She looked to Happy again as a small smile grew on her lips. Her whole posture had changed. She seemed at ease. Relaxed. She reached over and gave Happy's hand a reassuring pat. Happy glanced down at her hand before looking back to her.

"Okay, birthday boy, this is your day. What do you want to do first?" she asked completely back to normal. Happy studied her for a moment. He could still see that the nightmare was bothering her though she was trying to hide it. He supposed that was normal. Nightmares liked to linger. He smirked.

"I could think of a few things we could do," he said. Shayla snorted as she scooted to the edge of the bed.

"I doubt there's any Crow Eaters available this early in the morning," she said as she bent over the edge of the bed to grab her pants. She was wearing a pair of yellow boy shorts that shaped her ass perfectly. She picked up her pants then made sure they were right before she slid them over her legs. She stood at the edge of the bed and pulled the pants up the rest of the way. Happy watched her ass as it disappeared behind the denim of her jeans with a growl.

Shayla looked back at him as she buttoned and zipped them up. Happy lay still on his bed as he stared up at her. Shayla felt her cheeks light up and her stomach tighten. She knew the way he was looking at her. His eyes were dark with a lust that she was finding it harder and harder to not react to.

"You're killing me, little girl," he grumbled as he lifted up his knee to hide the fact that he had a growing erection. Shayla turned on him.

"I'll go get us some coffee," she said before heading to the door. As soon as his door clicked closed, he sat up, and looked down. He was already rock hard to an almost painful level. He huffed as he looked to the door. He could wait for her to come back. It was no secret that she wanted him just as it was no secret that he wanted her. He had made that point the night before by beating those two fucks into the ground.

She belonged to him.

He stood from the bed and headed into his bathroom. He couldn't wait for her to come back. He couldn't fuck her. Not yet. She had to be ready for it and he didn't think she was. He locked the door behind him and hurried to start the shower. He dropped his pants and boxers in one motion then stepped under the hot water.

He reached down and gripped himself tight. He closed his eyes as he let the water run over his back as he let his mind take him away. He could see Shayla on her knees in front him wearing nothing but those yellow underwear. Her tits were perky and her nipples were hard from the chill and excitement.

He watched her as she raised her hand up to grip his cock with a smile and started pumping him slowly. He moved his hand in sync with hers. He leaned forward and put his forehead against the cold vinyl of the shower. He started moving his hand faster just as Shayla started moving faster. Her smile only grew and her eyes seemed to sparkle with glee knowing that she was bringing Happy such pleasure with just her hand.

She started alternating her grip on him while keeping a steady pace so Happy did so as well. Happy bit back a groan as Shayla sat up a little so she could wrap her lips around the tip of his cock. He pressed his free palm into the wall on the shower and pressed. He wanted it to be her hair that he was gripping. He wanted to force her mouth down onto his cock until she choked. He heard her giggle around his cock as he thrusted down her throat.

He could hear her gagging and choking, but the curve of her lips at the edges of his cock told him to continue. He started thrusting faster by moving his hand faster.

Shayla was suddenly on her back tits bouncing with every thrust. Her eyes were wide and bright with excitement. She gasped as her nails dug into his back to pull him closer to her. He wanted to smell her, to taste her, but not even Happy's imagination was that good. All he could smell was the heat of the shower.

He started losing focus as his senses started to take over and the fact that he wasn't currently balls deep in Shayla just jerking off in the shower was starting to come back to him. The feel of the water on his back. The sound of the water hitting the bottom of the tub. Happy growled as he tried to dig his fingers into the wall. He was so fucking close.

He squeezed his eyes tighter hoping to bring the image of Shayla back into full force. Gratefully she came back and Happy pumped his hand so fast that he was sure it was going to leave his cock sore after he was done. That didn't matter to him now as he imagined Shayla arching her back. The feeling of her pussy quivering around him. The sound of her calling out his name.

Happy growled as he came. His body shook as spurts of hot liquid splattered against the wall waiting to be washed down the drain. He panted as he felt his body start to go back to normal. He opened his eyes a little.

This shit was getting ridiculous. He hadn't had any pussy in weeks. He could have any Sweet Butt he wanted and they would come crawling. He could have them on his cock with a simple snap of his fingers. He just… didn't. He didn't want them. He didn't want their used up pussy. No, the pussy that he wanted was currently bringing him coffee.

He sprayed his cum off the wall and down the drain then turned the water off. He got out of the shower and grabbed the towel that was on the rod nearby. He dried off carelessly and wrapped the towel around his waist when he realized that he hadn't brought a change of clothes with him. He stepped into his room to see Shayla on his bed brushing out her hair.

She had changed into one of his t-shirts and the pants that she had on the night before. She had gotten beer on her shirt whenever someone had stumbled into Kozik and knocked her beer all over her. She looked at him out of the corner of her eye and the fact that they wandered his body slowly didn't go unnoticed by Happy.

"I changed the sheets. They smelled like a bar on my side of the bed," she told him. Happy grunted as he walked around the bed. He noticed that there were two cups of coffee sitting on her nightstand. He grabbed one of them for himself before stepping in front of his closet. He sipped the coffee as he opened the door and peered inside. He frowned. There were only two shirts hanging. He looked down in the bottom of the closet where he kept a laundry bag to see that it had nothing in it. He turned back to Shayla wearing his shirt.

He grabbed one of the shirts and toss it over his shoulder.

"I know what you can do for my birthday," Happy said as he turned back to her. Shayla hummed letting him know that she had heard him. "You can bring my fucking shirts back." Shayla chuckled.

"Okay, they stopped smelling like you anyways," she said with a shrug. Happy scoffed as he closed his closet door.

Happy had decided that they were going to eat out for breakfast. Shayla followed along behind him in her car since it was too damned cold outside to ride. Happy wore a jacket under his kutte and gloves, but nothing else. Shayla wondered how the hell he put up with it. Shayla was convinced that she could live in Tacoma for a hundred years and she would still not be able to handle the cold. She couldn't wait to go home where it was nice and warm.

Happy pulled into a parking lot of a diner somewhere in Tacoma that Shayla hadn't been yet. It looked like it was a pretty nice diner. There were huge windows surrounding the dining area to let in plenty of sunlight. There were a few families that were set up in booths fussing over their children to eat their food. There were a couple old folks sitting off by themselves reading the newspaper or idly chatting about the weather with each other.

Waitresses scurried about with pots of coffee. It was quaint. Her stomach growled for the meal to come. She got out of her car and closed the door. Happy waited near the building for her. She walked up to him and put her arm through his. Happy gave her a flat look, then shook his head as he led them into the diner. Happy led them over to a booth and let Shayla slide in first before he slid in next to her.

The gesture was strange to Shayla since he normally sat across from her in restaurants. The booth was big enough for the both of them to sit next to each other comfortably so she just went with it. It was nice having him close. The cool air from outside was cooling the window which, in turn, froze Shayla's side. She found herself leaning closer to Happy to keep warm.

"Well, well, well, hello there, stranger," a waitress said as she walked up to the table. She was a middle aged overweight woman with kind eyes and an even kinder smile. Happy looked up at her. She sat down a coffee cup for him and filled it with coffee. The waitress eyed Shayla. "And you brought some company with you. I see why you disappeared on me."

Happy leaned back and crossed his arms.

"Like I could ever do that to you," he said with a smirk. Shayla blinked slowly as if the notion would help her better understand what had just happened. Had Happy just flirted with that waitress? The waitress smiled as she reached in her apron and pulled out the ticket to take their orders.

"Hangover special?" she asked eyeing Happy. Happy shrugged.

"Sounds good to me," he said looking at Shayla to see if she was ready to order. Shayla tilted her head at him.

"What's the hangover special?"

"Toast, eggs, oats, and a glass of pickle juice," the waitress said. Shayla's face twisted in distaste.

"Ew, that's just gross," she said. "Are you hungover, Hap?" Happy shrugged again.

"We drank a lot last night," he reasoned. Shayla hummed.

"Yeah, and you weren't really pacing yourself at all," she said picking up the menu. She looked it over. It was a typical diner menu that opened up into three sections. The first section was for breakfast, the middle was lunch, and the third was dinner. It looked like you could order anything off the menu at any time of day.

"I'll take three pancakes and a side of bacon please. Extra bacon. With some coffee and water," Shayla said. The waitress jotted down her order then walked away so she could put it in.

"Sucks being hungover on your birthday, Hap. I'm sorry," Shayla said looking at him. Happy grunted.

"You weren't pouring shots down my throat," Happy stated. Even though there was that time in the night that Shayla had tilted Happy's head back and poured liquor straight from the bottle in his mouth. Shayla looked out the window so he couldn't see that she was thinking about that moment. She ran her hand over her arm trying to warm up a little. She felt the cool air starting to soak into her. She had a feeling it was going to take her forever to warm up after they left here.

Shayla's coffee and water was placed in front of her while Happy got his glass of pickle juice. Shayla watched Happy pick up the glass of pickle juice and take a sip of it. Shayla's face twisted again. Happy chuckled as he put it back on the table.

"It's not that bad," he said sliding the pickle juice over to her. "My mom swears by it." Shayla shot a quick glance to Happy at the mention of his mother. He had never mentioned his parents before. It was hard to imagine Happy as a baby. She wondered what Happy looked like as a baby. Was he a happy baby or did he always have that look in his eyes that could crumble mountains.

"What?" Happy all but barked at her. It pulled Shayla out of her thoughts. She grinned at him.

"Nothing, I was just trying to imagine you as a baby. I bet you were adorable," she teased. She had to look away from the glare that he gave her. She bit back the smirk that was forcing its way to her lips anyways. She grabbed the glass of pickle juice and stared at it for a moment.

"You know, I'm not hungover right now so this pickle juice won't do anything for me except gross me out," she reasoned as she looked to Happy again. Happy rolled his eyes, but didn't say anything back to her. He just looked at her expectantly. Shayla rolled her eyes then picked up the glass. She took a small sip of it and her face twisted at the bitterness of the drink. Happy chuckled as Shayla slid it back over to him.

Shayla shivered a little as the cold got a little closer to her bones. She tried to hide it from Happy, but the shake of his head as he watched her said she wasn't very subtle about it. Happy lifted his arm and wrapped it around Shayla. He pulled her against him as he ran his hand up and down her arm to warm her. She leaned into Happy accepting his warmth.

"Pussy," he accused.

"You smell like pickle juice," Shayla said scrunching her nose up. Happy breathed on her making Shayla squeal.

After they had went back to Shayla's house, Shayla took a quick shower so she could get the smell of the night before off her. She leaned her head back and let the water run down her body. The nightmare from the night before was still fresh in her mind. She had tried to hide it from Happy and she thought she had done a good job of it. He never questioned her about it. The nightmare flashed in her head. Red hot steel. Searing pain. Questions. So many questions. Shayla lifted a shaky hand and ran it over her face.

She washed her hair to get the smell of smoke out of it, then she washed her body. She felt human again by the time she turned the water off. She brushed her teeth one more time after she showered to get the rest of the taste of the night before out of her mouth. She had smoked so many cigarettes that her chest was hurting every time she breathed.

She dressed in a pair of blue jeans and a long sleeved shirt that had AC/DC on the front. She brushed her hair out, but didn't blow dry it since she wasn't thinking Happy was wanting to go out anywhere now that they were back at her place. She brushed her teeth before stepping out into her kitchen. She heard the television on, but couldn't tell what was on until she walked into the living room. Happy was watching Courage the Cowardly Dog.

Or at least he was watching it. He had dozed off on the couch. Shayla chuckled and shook her head. He was more hungover than Shayla had thought. Shayla decided to let him sleep so he wouldn't have to spend his entire birthday feeling like shit. She walked into her bedroom and grabbed the messenger bag that she carried to school with her.

She walked back into the living room and sat down in the floor in front of the couch. The movement disturbed Happy who was laying on the couch and he rolled to where his back was facing her. Shayla looked back at him with a grin. She opened up her messenger bag and pulled out a binder. She opened it up and leaned back against the couch.

Inside were random projects that she had done throughout the years as a freelance graphic designer. There wasn't all that much going on with her portfolio since she was still so young, but she was hoping that it was going to be something worth showing off within another five to ten years. Especially with the leaps and bounds that technology was making every week.

There were a few pictures that she had taken throughout the years. Her favorite one was of her mother sitting in her reading chair reading a book. Her reading glasses were near the tip of her nose as she read. She was in a comfortable pose while her hair framed her face perfectly. The way the sun was pouring through the windows behind her made for a perfect photo-op.

There were a few other pictures of the paintings that she had done of her school mascot on the side of the dugout at the ballfield and the times she painted everything for school plays. She had been in charge of the yearbook so there were a few photos that she had included from that time and the designs she had made for the yearbook.

It wasn't much, but she was proud of every last one of her projects.

She closed the binder then opened her messenger again. She pulled out her sketch pad. She flipped through it slowly. It mostly just concepts for any type of inspiration that she had gotten. There were characters that she had thought up throughout the years. Some were superheroes. Some were cowboys or ninjas. She had wondered if she was ever going to be able to use any of them for her video game.

She pulled out her notebook next which was what she was after in the first place. She had taken a creative writing class in her first year for the extra credits. She was needing to write a short story using a small selection of pictures. She cleared her a spot on the coffee table so she could work. She grabbed a joint from the small candy box that she had on the table then lit it. She lit it and let the buzz start to take effect before she started working on her short story.

She had managed to finish it by the time Happy had decided to join the waking world again. Shayla turned to him and rested her arm on the side of the couch.

"Welcome back, birthday boy. I was just getting ready to make your cake," she said with a grin. Happy groaned as he ran his hand over her face. "Then when I put it in the oven, you get your birthday present." Happy looked down at Shayla.

"Only way I want my present is if it's you," he said in his gruff voice. Shayla felt her cheeks heat up. She had to break eye contact from him. She didn't want him to see her heated cheeks. She stood up quickly and walked into the kitchen. Her heart felt like it was getting ready to beat right out of her chest. She started gathering everything she needed to make his cake with shaky hands.

She wanted nothing more than to give him exactly what he was wanting, but was she ready for it? If she had to ask the question there was no way that she was ready for it. She didn't want to push him away. She wanted him close to her. There was no way what they were doing was healthy. Not mentally or emotionally.

She turned on the oven to let it start preheating while she mixed the cake mix together. She greased the pan then poured the badder in. She was glad that Happy didn't advance her while she was working. She wasn't sure how she would handle it. It was too soon for her to be in a relationship. It didn't matter how bad she wanted it.

Once the cake was in the oven, she went into her room and grabbed Happy's birthday present. It was wrapped up in wrapping paper that was covered in smiley faces. There was black ribbon around it that was tied together in a bow. She really hoped that he liked it. She sat down on the couch next to Happy who was watching television.

Shayla handed him the gift. Happy looked down at the box then up to Shayla.

"This isn't you," Happy grumbled as he gripped the small box. Shayla blushed again as she looked down. She rang her hands together. She felt her voice catch in her throat. She wasn't sure what to say to him. Happy pulled the ribbon off the box first then tore the paper off. He opened the box then dumped out the content. He held it up so he could study it. It was a small skull that barely fit in the palm of his hand. It felt to be made of ceramic making it feel more bone like in his hand. The skulls mouth was open where a small hole was drilled right in the center of its teeth. There was a small tube poking out of the back of its skull.

"What is it?" Happy asked as he turned it over in his hands. Shayla shrugged.

"It's an Aztec Death Whistle. Guy at the shop said that no one knows what they were used for. It could have been ritualistic, celebrations, or even striking fear into enemies. My money is on striking fear," Shayla explained. Happy hummed as he brought it to his lips. He blew into the whistle and the haunting screech that came from it sent an unsettling chill down Shayla's spine. Happy pulled the whistle away from his lip with wide eyes.

"Woah," he said then brought the whistle back to his lips. He blew again. Shayla smiled as he pulled it away. He liked it. "This is awesome." Shayla leaned forward and placed a gentle kiss to his cheek.

"Happy birthday, Hap," she whispered.


	19. Chapter 19

Happy had told Shayla about his weeklong trip to Chicago on his birthday night. She had bombarded him with questions about why he had to be the one to go, but how could he tell her that the reason he was going was because of his ruthlessness. He wouldn't hesitate to cut or shoot their way out of any type of situation that would hinder their travels. He would insure the safety of the shipment to SAMCHI.

How could he explain that to her? She wouldn't have understood. She was worried about him, he could tell. Her eyes were wide and bright with it. She had mentioned the gunshots that she had heard over the phone and all but demanded answers from Happy.

Happy didn't handle the situation well. He had yelled at her. Reminded her of her place, in the sense that she didn't have a place. She was nothing more than a woman. She was beneath even the hang arounds. Shayla looked like she had been cut by Happy's words.

Happy had a chance to apologize right then and there. He had the chance to make things right between them. The chance to get that look off her face. But he walked out.

Then he left for Chicago.

Shayla was furious. She had never been talked down to like that before. He had no idea who the fuck she was. She was privy to information when it came to the club. She was born into it. She lived it. She breathed it. Who the fuck did Happy think he was telling her that she was nothing?

She stomped around her house in an uncontrollable rage. Her breathing was fast and heavy. Red faded into black then back to red around the corners of her vision. She mumbled away nearly frenzied by how Happy treated her. She cursed his very existence.

She stopped in the middle of her kitchen and looked at the clock. She had three hours before she had to be at work. She had to calm down before she could handle work. She pulled out her cell phone and flipped it open. She scrolled through her contacts. She paused first on Clay's number and ran her thumb over the call button as she contemplated calling him. She bit her lip. Calling Clay would raise questions. She would have to bring up the issues happening with the club.

That would make her a snitch.

She kept scrolling until she came across her mother's number. She tapped her thumb against the call button, then decided to keep scrolling. She happened across Tig's name along with Opie's and Jax, but she had to dismiss them just like she had Clay.

Fuck.

She really didn't want to, but she really didn't have any choice. She scrolled back up through her contacts and clicked on the name Doc. It rang. And it rang. And it rang. Shayla started gnawing on her thumbnail. She paced as the phone continued to ring. The rings became longer and farther apart while she waited.

"Hello, you've reached the office of Dr. Danvers I am currently away from my desk or with another patient. Please leave a message and I will get back to you as soon as possible. Thank you, and have a blessed day," the voice message said and Shayla wanted to gag. It was so generic.

"Doc," Shayla all but screamed into her phone. She took a deep breath and tried again. "Doc," she managed calmy. "Listen, I'm in a bad way right now. Like getting ready to smash everything I own bad way. I still gotta go to work and if I don't get a handle on myself and now, I'm not going to be able to handle shit. You need to call me back. Pronto." She went to end the call, but she paused for a moment then put the phone back to her ear. "It's Shayla. Teller. Call me back. Please. Thank you. Bye." She flipped her phone closed then acted like she was smashing the phone against her forehead.

She flipped the phone back open. She had to get the rage gone. She had to vent. She had to use her words. Not her bat. Words. She called her mother. It wasn't technically snitching if she called her mother to bitch about it, right?

"Hey, sweetheart," Gemma said as she answered the phone.

"He's a fucking prick!" she hissed into the phone.

"Who is?" Gemma asked truly confused.

"Happy!" Shayla snapped. "He's a fucking prick!"

"What's going on?" Gemma asked as she set what sounded like groceries down on the counter. Shayla snarled as she clenched her fists. "Hey, hey, calm down, baby. Deep breaths." Shayla listened to her mother. She took a deep breath, but when she released it, she growled. She ran her fingers through her hair as her mother coached her through her breathing exercise. Thankfully, Gemma was able to talk her down enough to where Shayla was able to think. "Talk me through it."

Shayla sighed as she sat down on the couch.

"Things have been… weird here," Shayla started.

"Weird how?" Gemma pressed. Shayla leaned her back into the couch and looked up at the ceiling.

"Do you know anything about Happy?" Shayla asked her mother. Gemma hummed indifferently.

"Clay trusts him. I know he's dangerous and has a way with the tarts. And I know Tig chose him to look after you." Her voice was low and even. Pointed. She was getting ready to go full blown mother mode. "What did he do?"

Shayla started at the beginning. She talked about how they had met and how much help he had been so she could get everything moving when it came to her house. She talked about how he had pitched in and started helping her the night he had showed up at her house while she was cleaning out the refrigerator. She talked about riding with him. Their trips to the bars. Shayla told her how he had laid out a couple people for treating her without respect.

"I'm missing where he's a prick," Gemma said in her normal frustrated tone she got when someone was avoiding the subject. Shayla sighed.

"It's fucking prick and I'm getting there," she hissed before she continued. She told her mother about how they were hunting down meth dealers because the drugs were being sold within the club. She told her mother how Happy never divulged any information on what was happening or where they were when it came to the meth. Then she told her about the gunshot that she had heard when she had called Kozik looking for Happy. She told her that no one was hurt as far as she knew, but Tacoma was such a large charter that it was hard saying if there was anyone missing.

"Happy came home covered in blood after that. It wasn't his and he was acting… different," Shayla said as she leaned forward. She rested her elbows on her knees.

"What did you do?" Gemma asked quizzically.

"What do you think I did? I washed his clothes while he took a shower," Shayla responded as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. Of course, what else was she supposed to do?

"Good girl," her mother praised and Shayla rubbed her forehead. "But I'm still waiting for the fucking prick part though."

"Well, he decides to tell me the night before he's leaving that he's going to be gone to Chicago for a week. I started asking him questions, then I brought up the gunshots that I heard and he just… freaked!" Shayla told as she stood from the couch to pace again.

"What do you mean?" Gemma asked quickly.

"He just exploded. Told me it was none of my fucking business and that I was a woman and not even no one's old lady. Fucking told me I was less than the hang arounds. He put the fucking Sweet Butts above me! Like what the fuck, Ma! Then he fucking left! Just like that!" She was yelling by the time she finished. Her rage had been reignited. She wanted to put her fist through the wall. She wanted to throw a brick through the window. She wanted to grab her bat and go bust the windshields out of some cars in a random parking lot.

Gemma talked her through more breathing exercises.

"Alright," Gemma said once Shayla was calm. "I'm convinced. He's a fucking prick. He could have handled that situation a lot better, but he's right." Shayla felt blindsided. What the hell did her mother just say to her? Her mother chuckled. "Just hear me out. I know that you know more about the club than the average woman. Especially for one that's not even an Old Lady yet. But Clay and the others, what they tell you, is solely because they allow it. Technically by all rules, you're not supposed to know anything about what's going on in the club. SAMCRO is just bias with you. If Happy doesn't want to tell you anything about what's going on in the club, then that's his business."

"You're my mother, you're supposed to be on my side," Shayla barked at her mother. Gemma chuckled.

"I am on your side, I'm just reminding you that this is how it really works in the Sons of Anarchy," she said amused. "But the way he handled it was wrong. I mean, sounds like he put you up on a pedestal that demanded respect then he turns around and disrespects you like that. Worse than what anyone has ever done and gotten away with."

"Oh, he didn't get away with it," Shayla responded coldly. "He just prolonged his ass kicking for a week." Shayla's phone beeped to let her know that there was another call coming in. She checked her phone. "That's Doc. I gotta go, Ma. Love you and tell everyone I love them." She pushed the call button on the phone so she could talk to her therapist.

Gemma closed her flip phone while she stared at her husband. Tig leaned against the wall with his typical shit eating grin. Shayla had been on speaker phone the entire phone call. She had thought it was a friendly phone call, just her daughter calling to check in and let everyone know she was still alive, so she wanted Clay and Tig to be able to say hi too. She had planned on taking Shayla off speaker phone, but Clay motioned for her to stop.

The three of them had exchanged looks whenever she had mentioned the gunshots. Clay was aware of what was going on up in Tacoma. He had even discussed it with Gemma because he, Tig, Chibs, and Jax were going to be heading up to Tacoma in two weeks to handle the situation. They had decided not to tell Shayla they were coming up as they wanted to surprise her.

Gemma slammed her purse on the counter and tore it open while she glared at Tig. Tig had his elbow leaning on the countertop while his chin rested in his palm. He gave Gemma an I-told-you-so look. Clay just smirked at the two. Gemma pulled a twenty out of her purse and handed it over to him.

"She really does have a hard on for him," she said evenly. Tig smiled as he plucked the bill from her fingers.

"I tried to tell you," he said stashing the twenty in his pocket.

"It just had to be Happy," Clay said running his hand over his face.

Shayla walked into work and saw Becky sitting at her desk. She was on a phone call with someone answering questions about their vacation. She glanced up from her computer and waved at Shayla giving her a smile. Her hat today said _Shit Happens_ with a little turd under the font. She shook her head and waved at her. Kozik had told her he would be there for her when she got off work.

She had talked with her therapist for a while, though she hated talking to him too much. He was just so cliche with all that _how does that make you feel?_ Bullshit. It worked though. It always worked. She had been with him since she was fifteen. He had helped her through a lot.

She had told him about everything that had happened with Happy. She left out the part about the guns and drugs, though. He had asked her why it had angered so bad that he had talked to her like that and Shayla had cussed him out. He was used to it with her. She was volatile when she was in that kind of mood. It had angered her so bad because no one had ever talked like that to her before. No one got away with treating her like that. It didn't matter if he was still kind of right.

She was going to be riled up for the rest of the day so her therapist told her to take one of her sleeping meds that night so she could sleep without nightmares. She rolled her eyes, but told him that she would. She really wasn't. She hated how her sleeping meds made her feel. She acted like she fought sleep harder whenever she was medicated and that was never a good mix with that kind of medication.

Kozik had come over after she had talked with her therapist to follow her to work on his bike. He kept quiet as Shayla ranted away about Happy and what he had done. He had even went and popped himself a bag of popcorn for the dramatic effect. She had slapped the bag out of his hand.

Work was going to suck. Her head wasn't in the game at all. She stepped onto the call floor and took a look at how day shift was doing. They had made several sales and it looked like everyone was in good spirits.

Fuck them.

She walked back off the call floor then went out back to the smoking area. Becky was out there smoking a cigarette. She smiled and winked at Shayla while she walked over to her and sat down on the chair next to her.

"What's wrong, sunshine? Didn't get any birthday sex?" she teased. Shayla just huffed.

"No, we got into a fight instead," Shayla pouted. Becky frowned as she reached over and patted Shayla's shoulder.

"Want to talk about it?" she asked. Shayla wanted nothing more than to talk about it. It was all that was on her mind. She had never felt so jaded before. Happy's words had cut deep and were currently festering up into an infected mess. But she couldn't bring Becky into her problems. Becky wasn't that type of friend.

"Nah, I'll be fine. I'm just being a big baby is all," Shayla said taking one of Becky's cigarettes. Becky shrugged.

Shayla was right. Work sucked. She didn't make any sales for Monday. She would have to step up her game if she was wanting to make commission. She stepped outside just to find Kozik leaning up against her car just like Happy did. Kozik gave her a bright smile that was usually enough to cheer her up, but she feared that there was nothing that could cheer her up.

"I'm hungry. I was thinking Italian. My treat." Except maybe that.


	20. Chapter 20

Shayla hated Kozik. She hated him with a passion. She hated his smug look. She hated his smile. She hated the way he laughed. She hated the way his hair looked. She hated the way his face looked. She simply just hated him.

And it was all Chibs' fault.

Chibs requesting Kozik be her personal trainer was going to kill Shayla before it was over with. He had come beating down her door at the ass crack of dawn so they could start training. She wanted to punch him. She didn't get up at dawn. She was more the type to go to sleep at dawn. Always had been. And now here she was, laying on her back in the middle of a gym that was in the middle of who gives a fuck. She was gasping for air as sweat poured from everywhere. Kozik was standing over her barking orders.

She hated him.

Everything had started off fine. He had taken her out for a protein filled breakfast before they set off to the gym. When they arrived, they went through a warm up to get the blood pumping. That part was just fine. She was used to that from back in the days that she had played softball for her school. There was a small area that served as a track that she had run an eleven minute mile which she thought was pretty great, but Kozik was disappointed in her performance.

She had tried telling him that speed wasn't necessarily a thing when it came to baseball or softball since running the bases was more of a sprint, but he was having no part of it.

Then came the squats and the lunges and the leg presses. He'd forced her to use dumbbells for the squats and lunges to strengthen her leg muscles even more. By the time he had let her finish, she could barely stand. Her legs were shaking and they felt like they had swollen to triple their original size. Then that smug fuck made her get on a stair machine.

That was how she ended up on her back in the middle of the floor. She couldn't do it anymore. She had fallen off the machine and simply just laid there. He told her to get up to which she responded, "Fuck off."

"Come on, get up," Kozik said nudging her with his foot.

"No," she said closing her eyes.

"Now," he demanded.

"Make me," she spat. Kozik chuckled and Shayla hated him a little bit more.

"Do you really want me to do that?" he asked smuggly. Shayla thought about it for a moment. If he made her get up, then it would be so much worse for her.

"No, I don't really want you to do that, but please, Kozy, I can't do anymore," she whined. She prayed he would have mercy on her. She couldn't take anymore. He didn't answer her for a moment so she risked opening one of her eyes to look up at him. He was smirking down at her and if Shayla could lift her leg, she would have kicked him in the teeth.

"Okay, fine, but either way, you got work in four hours so you need to go shower," he said. Shayla whined again as she scrunched her eyes closed.

"I can't move," she cried. Kozik scoffed.

"Quit being dramatic. Tomorrow we'll lay off the leg strengthening and we'll get that swinging arm in shape," he said holding his hand out for her to take. She reluctantly took it and let him pull her up. Her legs were wobbly and she wasn't sure if she was going to be able to stand on her own. She walked slowly towards the showers in the gym.

The shower helped relax her muscles which was much appreciated for Shayla. She hadn't felt that weak since…

She showered as slowly as possible to help pass the time. She was glad that she had a job that she was able to sit down for because there was no way she was going to be able to work otherwise.

She dressed in a simple pair of blue jeans and put on a pair of her tennis shoes. She wore a Guns-N-Roses t-shirt that had the album cover of Appetite for Destruction on the front. She looked down at her outfit. Gemma would have flipped if she seen what Shayla was wearing at that moment. Shayla grinned at the thought, but it soon turned into a frown.

She missed home so much.

She walked out of the shower room to see Kozik flirting with a girl that was wearing a pair of work out pants and a sports bra. She was a cute little thing with a big smile. Her skin was a little flushed and Shayla wasn't sure if it was from her workout of if Kozik was making her blush. Shayla's frown deepened and her chest tightened.

She missed Happy, too.

And she felt stupid for it.

Shayla sat at her desk staring at the screen. She had her elbow resting on the desk with her chin resting in her palm. The day was slow for calls. Their system was an automatic outbound dialer that randomly selected who got the next call. However, it only went to that step if someone actually answered. And no one was answering. Morale was low. Everyone was bored. No one was talking.

Shayla thought back to the last time she had seen Happy. His words echoed in her head.

"_The hangarounds are worth more than you are." _

She wasn't sure what had set him off. Okay, that was a lie. She had completely drilled him with pressing questions about what was really going on. She wanted to know. She needed to know. She was tired of worrying about Happy every time he left her. She didn't know what he was doing. She didn't know if he was in danger. She didn't know if he was being arrested.

Her headset beeped letting her know that there was a call that came in. The screen automatically populated with all the information on the caller that they were able to obtain. She started with her sale's pitch, but they had hung up on her as soon as she mentioned the timeshare tour.

"Hey," Becky said leaning against the wall of Shayla's cubicle. Shayla looked up at her. Her hat today said _The Only Reason Why A Lot Of People Are Alive Today Is Because It's Against The Law To Kill Them. _

"Hey," Shayla said with no emotion. Becky chuckled.

"You still upset over Happy?" Becky asked even though it was clear that she already knew the answer. Shayla shrugged hoping that she was catch the hint that she really didn't want to and couldn't talk about it. "Have you tried calling him?" Shayla didn't answer. "You don't want to talk about it." It wasn't a question.

"I really don't," Shayla confirmed. Becky huffed.

"Fine," she said standing up straight. "Leave us in the dark. But when he calls - and he will call - I want all the juicy details."

"He doesn't want to talk to me," Shayla whispered staring at her screen.

"Damn, Shayla," Trixie piped up turning around in her seat. "Your depression is making me depressed."

"It's making us all depressed," Carl piped up turning around in his seat as well.

"Sorry guys," Shayla said turning in her seat even though her legs were screaming at her to just stop. "I'm not depressed." That was a lie. "Kozik is training me for this baseball tournament that happens every year around Christmas back in my hometown. He had me up at dawn so we could go to the gym. I don't know how I'm going to be able to stand from my chair let alone drive home after work."

"Hometown?" Becky asked.

"Yeah, it's a little town in California called Charming."

"Sounds Charming," Justin said sarcastically.

"Ha ha," Shayla responded equally sarcastic.

Happy pulled into the parking lot of the SAMCHI clubhouse and looked up at the building. The clubhouse was near Lake Michigan. It was a three story building made of brick. The first floor was the main room. The second floor housed the officers' rooms and the chapel while the third floor was reserved for visiting members.

The ride was long and uneventful, thankfully. They had managed the whole trip without any kind of setback. That promised that he would be able to make it back to Tacoma sooner than what had been planned. He would be overseeing the distribution of the guns so they could be transported elsewhere before he would be heading back to Tacoma.

His body ached from the trip. Riding a motorcycle that long would be enough to put strain on anyone's body. The air was cold around him. Shayla would have hated it.

Happy hated that he was thinking of her. Absolutely hated it. The way she had acted towards him was unacceptable. Royalty or not, she was asking questions she didn't need to know the answers to.

And she wasn't taking no for an answer.

The things she was asking, the things she was wanting to know, she had no right to the knowledge. Not with the way the club worked. He remembered approaching her dangerously hoping that it would be enough to make her stand down, but she stood her ground. Just like he should have known.

She could have stopped hounding him and everything would have been just fine. She could have stopped and they could have gotten back to Harry Potter (which he was actually enjoying). She could have stopped and Happy wouldn't feel like such an asshole for treating her like that.

It was a new feeling to him; regret. His mother raised him to believe that one shouldn't regret anything. That everything happens for a reason.

Maybe the fight had happened for a reason. He was getting too involved. He was starting to put her first. He found himself putting off club business just so he could be with her. He had given up pussy. It wasn't like him. Not when it came to the club. The club was always first.

But dammit if those blue eyes of Shayla's didn't shatter his heart when he had called her less than nothing.

Women and men alike filed out of the clubhouse, some of the women ran to their men to greet them. He took notice of the two women that rushed into Capone's and Diego's arms. Both were supporting crows on their lower backs that Happy could see when their stretched out bodies pulled their shirts up.

He knew the rules of the club.

_What happens on the road stays on the road._

And it never really bothered him before, but that was before Shayla. And before Capone and Diego advanced her the way they had. Happy walked towards the SAMCHI clubhouse.

He needed a fucking shot.

His journey to the bar was hindered by the president of SAMCHI, Stoney. The man could pass as Tommy Chong's twin brother, all the way down to his voice. Happy was convinced that he could outsmoke Chong if he ever got the chance.

"Hey there, man," Stoney greeted as the two clapped each other on the shoulders. "Long time no see."

"Yeah, been busy," Happy offered the little information. Stoney grinned an almost knowing grin. "Been what, eight months?" Stoney laughed a hearty laugh while he clapped Happy on the shoulder.

"Who can keep track anymore, brotha? Got your favorite girl here tonight just for you," Stoney said while he led Happy to the front doors.

"Cool. I'm about due," Happy replied with a smirk.

Shayla flopped back on her bed and stared at her ceiling. Kozik had left for the night leaving Shayla alone with her thoughts. It was a bad place to be for Shayla. She couldn't be lost in her head. Not when those thoughts were of Happy. Her therapist had asked her why his words had hurt her the way they did. It wouldn't have been the first time Shayla had been bullied by someone associated with the club just because she was a woman.

She had told him it was because that every time she had been treated like that, there was someone there to beat them down for her (since she was, in fact, a woman and wasn't allowed to touch the men in a violent way). Shayla told him that she didn't have the satisfaction of watching him suffer for the way that he had treated her.

"_Are you sure about that, Shayla?" _That was what he followed up with. The question had immobilized her for a moment. It was like her brain had shut down and needed a moment to reboot.

"_Yes, I'm sure about that, Doc," _Shayla spat_. "Why else would I say that?"_

"_Because our sessions lately have been about nothing but Happy. Seriously, my notes are starting to look like a schoolgirl's diary and less like a new section in my longest standing patient's files."_ Shayla had felt her face heat up at that. She didn't talk about Happy that much, did she? She had admitted to Dr. Danvers that she did have feelings for Happy, but she was unsure if he shared the same feelings towards her.

Sure, he looked out for her, took care of her, rarely left her side, but all that was because it had been requested by Clay and the rest of SAMCRO. The comments that he gave her were always sexual in nature and while the comments were exhilarating, that was all they were, sexual. She knew Happy was attracted to her, hell one would have to be blind not to see that, but she wasn't sure if he actually cared about her.

And when he had talked down to her the way that he had, it had only confirmed that the only thing between them was sexual and nothing more.

She felt stupid. She was humiliated. She believed that there was a possibility that he had cared for her. She had been blinded by her own attraction to him. Shayla wasn't anything to him. Just a means to an end. A way in to get in the good graces of SAMCRO. Having a favor from SAMCRO in your back pocket was worth its weight in gold.

She felt used.

Shayla woke up the next morning early. She was curled up tight under her blanket. Her head was on the bed instead of the five pillows she used. She discovered they were on top of her. She reached her hand out in search of her cell phone so she could check the time, but all she was met with was ice cold air. She jerked her hand back under the blanket and assessed the situation.

She had left her little heater on in her room to keep her room warm. The house had baseboard heaters and those made her paranoid so she had bought her own heaters. She couldn't hear the small space heater running so she lifted her head in the direction of where it was placed. Her room seemed to be darker than usual. She looked around her room for a moment to search the darkness for the little red coils, but she couldn't find it.

She risked sitting up in bed and reached out for her lamp. She wasn't sure which direction it was in so she felt around blindly for it. Her body seemed to ache from where she was so cold. Her whole body shivered. She nearly knocked over her lamp when she hit it. She felt for the switch on it, but when she flipped it, nothing happened. She wrapped her blanket around her as tight as she could get it as she slid to the edge of the bed.

She stood and walked over to her light switch in her room. She flipped the switch and once more, nothing happened. Was her power out? She opened her bedroom door and stepped out. There was a small glow of her pilot light in the fireplace of her living room, but the room was just as cold as her bedroom.

She rushed over to her fireplace and turned the dial up. Immediate heat flooded her body which caused her body to shake. Shayla knelt down in front of the fire and opened her blanket. Heat poured into the blanket. Shayla verbally shivered. Slowly but surely she warmed up. She stood from her spot and walked over to her coffee table. She grabbed a candle that was stored on the shelf below the table and lit it. She grabbed a joint and lit it off the flame.

She grabbed the candle and headed to her room so she could grab her phone. She flipped it open. Four a.m.

She scrolled through her contacts and called Kozik. He didn't answer so Shayla tried him again. There was still no answer. Maybe he had his phone on vibrate. She sat down on the couch and continued to smoke. She curled up under the blanket and looked around her house. The fire gave her living room a new kind of glow. She watched as the flames flickered different shadows on the walls.

She had smoked the joint half way down before she put it out. She curled up on the couch and covered her head with her blanket. She was completely unaware that she had fallen asleep.

She woke up to the sound of someone knocking on her door. She knew it was Kozik. It had to be six o'clock on the dot. Shayla sat up on the couch and groaned. Her joints were completely stiff and it hurt to move. She took a deep breath and looked around the room just as the knock hit again.

She tried to stand, but a coughing fit hit her like freight train. She felt like there was seven pounds of mucus stuck in her throat. It felt like someone was hitting her in the head with a sledgehammer every time she coughed.

"Shay Bug? You okay in there?" Kozik asked through the door. She managed to get up off the couch though her body heavily protested every bit of it. She kept her blanket around her as she made her way to the front door. She unlocked it and opened it up.

"Jesus, Shay Bug, you look like shit," Kozik said as he stepped into her house.

"I feel like shit," Shayla said as she walked into the kitchen to start a pot of coffee. She felt weak. All she wanted to do was lay back down. Kozik was suddenly behind her.

"Hang on there, Shay Bug," he said as he rested a hand on her shoulder while the other one laid flat against her forehead. His hand was so cold against her skin that she winced. "You're burning up."

"My power went out a couple hours ago. I woke up with it so cold I had my pillows on me like blankets," she said as she leaned against the countertop. She wasn't even sure if her power was back on.

She reached over and flicked the switch on the coffee pot. Sure enough, the light came on. At least she had power now.

"Looks like a tree knocked down some power lines last night down the road. Must have been when you called me this morning, huh?" Kozik said as he led her to the couch. Shayla flopped back and laid down. Kozik turned on the television for her, then handed her the remote.

He rushed back into the kitchen and flipped on the light. Shayla heard him rummaging through her medicine cabinet and opened a pill bottle. He looked in the fridge and grabbed her something to drink then walked back to her. He handed her the pill so she could break her fever. She took it and drank down the sports drink he had grabbed her. The cold of the drink surrounded her core and made her shiver. She started coughing again. Kozik took the drink from her and screwed the cap back on. He set it in the floor next to her.

Kozik went back into her kitchen and started rummaging through the cabinets again.

"Do you have a thermometer?" he asked.

"Yeah, in the medicine cabinet. It might be buried in the back somewhere. I just kind of threw everything in there," she groaned from the couch. Kozik opened the cabinet up and started poking through. He exclaimed victoriously when he found it. He brought it into the livingroom and pressed the button. He placed it in her mouth as he checked his watch.

"I'm going to run out and get you some things for this shit. You allergic to any medicines?" he asked as he waited for the thermometer.

"Penicillin," she said around the plastic tip in her mouth. Kozik glared at her playfully.

"No talking, it's not going to read right if you do," he scolded like a parent. Shayla rolled her eyes and looked back at the television. It was some kind of infomercial about gospel music. She hit the guide button so she could find something else. Like there would be anything on at six a.m.

The thermometer beeped signaling that it was ready. Kozik took it out and looked at the digital screen.

"102.8," Kozik said slowly. "That's not good. I'll call Pudge and see about getting you some antibiotics. He's a veterinarian so he can write you a script. You don't mind being a hundred and twenty pound Bullmastiff named Brutus, do ya?"

Shayla gave him a flat look while she clicked on a station that was playing I Love Lucy reruns.

"You get some rest, I'll be back with supplies," Kozik said as he made his way to the front door. "Oh, and Shay Bug." Shayla lifted her head to look at Kozik. "You're going to make up for these days that you're missing on your workout." Shayla groaned and put her head back on her couch arm.

Kozik walked out of the house. Shayla felt her eyes drift closed again.

Happy stood off to the side while he was overseeing the gun sifting. Happy stared down at his phone. Specifically Shayla's number. He thought about calling her since he had a little time to talk. It would have been noon back in Tacoma. She would be up and moving around the house while she slowly got ready for work. She would be doing dishes just so she could make herself some lunch and put a spoon or a knife in the sink. She would be working on her homework.

He figured taking that Crow Eater back to his temporary dorm the night before would be enough to get Shayla out of his head, but she wasn't. Happy still found himself closing his eyes so he could imagine it being Shayla on his dick and not the Crow Eater. He thought getting off would be enough to smooth out some of the edges, but all it did was make it worse.

"What's her name, man?" Stoney asked walking up to Happy. Happy flipped the phone closed and put it in his pocket. Happy looked to Stoney.

"I don't know what you're talking about," Happy said looking back at the men sorting the guns.

"Oh, please," Stoney said slapping Happy on his shoulder. "You know exactly what I'm talking about. You're quiet man, but never this quiet. You barely hung out downstairs. You just grabbed that Sweet Butt and dragged her upstairs." Stoney stopped long enough so he could pull a pipe out of his pocket so he could smoke some weed. He took a hit then handed it over to Happy. "Only thing that can get a man like that is a woman."

Happy hit the bowl then handed it back to Stoney. Happy watched the men and remained quiet. He had never really talked to anyone about Shayla before or how he felt. He hadn't told his mother about her for fear of getting his mother's hopes up. All she wanted out of him was a grandchild and him being around a woman would make her think the wrong things. He couldn't talk to Kozik about it because he knew that Kozik would just tease him about it and piss Happy off. He couldn't talk to Tig. Or Clay. He looked to Stoney.

"Shayla," he said looking back to the guns. Stoney grinned looking at Happy.

"Shayla. Is she as pretty as her name?" Stoney asked. Happy shrugged. Of course she was beautiful. What kind of dumbass question was that? Stoney shook his head as he hit the bowl. He handed it back to Happy. Happy hit the bowl before handing it back to Stoney.

"I fucked up," Happy admitted. "Said a lot of things I shouldn't have said."

"And never said the things that you should have said," Stoney concluded. Happy glanced at Stoney. He supposed that he was right. There was a million things that he could have said, that he _should_ have said, but here he was in Chicago risking his life for a few extra bucks.

"Tell me about her," Stoney stated as he pulled a baggie of weed from his pocket so he could reload his bowl. Happy shoved his hands in his pockets. He had never "told" anyone about Shayla before. He wasn't even sure how to "tell" someone about her. "Or at least tell me how you two met." Happy rolled his eyes. He swore sometimes the men in the club were worse than women and their gossip.

"She moved to Tacoma from Charming for school. She's going to be a graphic designer whatever the fuck that is," Happy said as Stoney handed him the bowl so he could have green hit.

"So, computers. She must be smart." Stoney took his hit. "Charming, though. She associated with the club?"

"You could say that," Happy answered with another shrug.

"I did say that," Stoney said.

"She's Clay Morrow's daughter," Happy said looking over the operation. Stoney's eyes widened as he looked over to Happy.

"Boy, you don't joke around, do ya?" Stoney said with a chuckle before slapping Happy on the shoulder. Happy smirked and looked at the SMACHI president out of the corner of his eye.

Shayla was dying. She couldn't eat. All she did was sleep. She would wake up long enough to get a drink of water or juice or whatever Kozik decided to give her. Kozik would wake her up so she could take another pill to keep her fever down and to take the antibiotics that Kozik had managed to get her. She would wake up whenever her fever had broken and she woke up in a pool of her own sweat.

She felt gross. She needed to take a shower, but she couldn't get the energy to even lift her head, let alone shower. Kozik had put a small trash can next to her so she had somewhere to throw up whenever she would cough too much. Her aches only seemed to get worse and she had a hard time getting comfortable. One second she was freezing, the next she was kicking the blanket off her because she was so hot.

Kozik tried to make her eat something every so often, but she had no interest in food. Everything tasted bland. Her nose was stuffy, but no matter how much she blew her nose, she couldn't clear it all out. Shayla had given Kozik her car so he could run out and get her more tissues and popsicles. He took off to get her what she needed.

Happy helped load up all the guns in their respective trucks. They were going to other charters including Florida, Pennsylvania, and Maine. They would be followed out by club members from each charter so they could be protected on the drive home. They had managed to get done early so Happy would be heading back home the next morning.

The trucks pulled out around seven that evening leaving Happy to his own devices. He walked back into the clubhouse and sat down at the bar. He was handed a beer and Happy took a gulp before he fetched his phone out of his pocket. He flipped it open and scrolled through until he came to Shayla's name. He wasn't sure how he was going to make things right between them, but whatever it was, it couldn't be done with just a simple phone call.

He flipped his phone closed and tossed it on the bar in front of him. He ran his hand over his mouth while he stared across the bar. He looked over his shoulder at the clubhouse. There were no women around due to the extracurricular activities that was happening. It wasn't like he was in the mood anyways.

Not for any of them.

"Hey, man, you still being a pussy?" Stoney asked as he took the seat next to him. Happy glared at the older man. Stoney laughed as he slapped him on the shoulder. "I'll take that as a yes." Stoney ordered himself a beer.

"Shouldn't you be heading home to your Old Lady?" Happy asked raising an eyebrow at him.

"Yes, but she made meatloaf tonight. I'm going to take my sweet ass time getting home this evening," he said sipping his beer. Happy chuckled as he shook his head. He sipped his beer.

Shayla had awakened for the third time and Kozik still wasn't back from the store yet. She had given Kozik her card so he could run to the store for more supplies. She had managed to go through two boxes of tissues in no time. That had been four hours before. She had tried calling him, but he never answered her calls. She hoped he was okay. She was worried about him, but she was too weak to do anything about it.

Her fever was coming back and the aches were getting worse. She felt like she was melting.

She tried to call him one more time, but she knew he wasn't going to answer. She scrolled through her contacts and stopped on Happy's name. She had no other choice. She didn't have anyone else's number in Tacoma she could call. She pressed send.

She hoped he would answer her. She knew he was angry with her. If he answered, she would be surprised. Happy decided he was going to surprise her.

"Hello?" Happy's voice resonated. Shayla couldn't stop the grin that appeared on her lips.

"Hey," she said. She ran her fingers through her hair. "So, uh, I didn't know who else to call."

"You sound like shit," Happy stated.

"Yeah, well, Kozy took my card so he could run out for some supplies for me and he hasn't come back. He's not answering his phone," she told him.

"I'm in Chicago," Happy pointed out. Shayla laid back out on the couch.

"I know, but I don't have anyone else's number in Tacoma. I'm just worried about him," she said closing her eyes. Another wave of exhaustion hit her suddenly. There was a silence on the other end of the phone. "Happy?"

"I'll figure something out," he finally answered. Shayla bit her lip as she opened her eyes again.

"Happy," Shayla said again.

"What?"

"Thanks for answering, even though you're mad at me," she said as her eyes slid closed again. Even when he was angry with her, he was still going to be there for her.

"We'll talk when I get home. It'll be a couple days," Happy told her. Shayla grinned.

"Just as long as you come home," she said quietly.

"I'll be there as soon as I can," he promised. He hung up the phone. Shayla flipped her phone closed then settled back into the couch. She hoped that Kozik would be back soon. Sleep took over her again.

Happy left Chicago as soon as he was able to gather up the remainder of his things. He called Lee and asked him to go check on Shayla. Happy had asked about Kozik, but no one knew where he was. Lee had sent out some of the SAMTAC boys to track down Kozik. Happy pushed his bike as fast as it would go without drawing attention from any of the Highway Patrol. He had to get back to Tacoma. The club needed him.

Shayla needed him.

He worried for Kozik's safety. With everything that was currently happening in the club, he hoped that his friend hadn't been taken by any of their enemies. There was no saying what they would do to him. He hit the throttle a little more so he could gain more speed.

He should have never left Tacoma.

Shayla was awakened by the sound of her door unlocking. She raised up off the couch quickly, her hand instinctively reaching for the knife she kept under her table. The sudden movement made her dizzy and she nearly fell off her couch. She tried to shake it all away but that just made it worse. The door opened and Lee stepped in. She frowned.

How did Lee get into her house? She had a spare key hanging on a hidden nail on the front porch, but the only people that knew where it was was her and… Happy. Happy had called Lee. Shayla grinned as she rested back onto the couch.

"Hey," Lee said stepping into the house. Shayla heard the shuffle of plastic bags. Shayla managed to pull herself up on the couch so she could look at him. "No reason to sit up. You need your rest." Lee sat the bag down on her table and started pulling things out of it. Tissues, cough drops, other cough suppressants. "I wasn't sure what you had or what you needed so I just brought you a little bit of everything." Shayla rested her head against the arm of the couch.

"Thanks, Lee, I really appreciate it. Have you heard from Koz?" Shayla asked hopeful. Lee shook his head no. Shayla picked up her controller so she could flip through the channels on her television.

"Don't worry though, we'll find him," Lee reassured her while he brought her a couple things. Shayla looked up at him.

"I know, I just hope he's safe," she said.

Happy only stopped for gas. He used the bathroom whenever he stopped. He would grab a small bag of chips and a candy bar alongside a cup of old ass coffee to get him through his trip. He had spent thirty five hours on the road. He was seeing triple. More than that. He was starting to have a hard time focusing on the road, but he had to keep going. He had to get back to Tacoma. His stomach was growling in protest for the lame excuses of food that Happy had been ingesting.

He needed sleep. He needed a real meal. He needed to get off his motorcycle and stretch his legs. He was having a hard time keeping a grip on his handlebars. It wasn't safe being on the interstate like he was at the moment, but he had no other choice. The interstate was the fastest way back to Tacoma. He just had to keep heading west.

It was day break by the time he made it back to Tacoma. He wove through the streets as quickly as possible. He went straight to Shayla's. She was the only one there telling Happy that Kozik had yet to turn up. He got off his bike then stretched his legs out. He felt his joints cracking as they loosened themselves up.

He hurried up her front steps then reached up in the rafters for the hidden nail that housed her spare key. Happy had been the one to hang it there after the fifth time Shayla had forgotten her house keys leaving the two of them locked out of her house.

He unlocked her door and let himself inside. She was snoring away on her couch. There was a trash can that was overflowing with tissues. He could hear it in the way that she snored that she was still pretty congested. He bent and untied his boots. His feet felt like they were on fire from where he had been wearing them for so long. He toed out of them and placed them on the small rug that she had placed next to the door for shoes.

He stepped softly over to the couch and looked down at Shayla. Happy grinned at her and shook his head. It always seemed that in movies, any time a woman was filmed sleeping, she always had a sort of glow around her features that made her appear heaven like. Their makeup was always done perfectly. Their features were perfectly relaxed. They would appear to not even be breathing.

But not Shayla.

Her head was leaned back with her hand fisted under her chin. There was a tissue clutched in her hand. Her nose had been reddened a little from where she had rubbed her skin raw with the tissues. There was drool pouring out of the corner of her mouth and down her shoulder. Her hair was sticking out in every direction. And her snoring sounded like his Harley.

She was gorgeous.

Happy bent to start checking on her medicines. She had half a bottle of Nyquil left which explained why she was in a coma. She still had plenty of cough drops. It looked like she was alternating between Tylenol and Advil to combat her fever.

A hand slid into his own. The hand was hot and clammy. Happy turned to Shayla. She was grinning up at him through eyes that were half closed.

"Hey," she whispered. Happy gripped her hand as he knelt down next to the couch.

"Hey," he said back.

"They haven't found Koz yet," she said. Happy nodded. He reached for the thermometer that sat on her coffee table. He pushed the button and waited for it to beep to show that it was ready. He put it in her mouth.

"I'm here now," Happy said as he brushed her hair out of her face a little with his free hand.

"Yeah," she whispered. They waited in silence while they waited for the thermometer. When it finally beeped, Happy pulled it out of her mouth to look at the digital screen.

"101.2."

"It's going down," Shayla said as her eyes slid closed. Happy finally released her hand so he could get her medicine so she could keep her fever down. He stood and walked into the kitchen to get her a glass of water. He made sure she took some medicine. She settled back into the couch and started flipping through the channels on her television.

"Listen, Shayla," Happy started as he knelt back in his spot next to the couch. Shayla stopped channel surfing so she could look at Happy. "What I said before I left…" Happy stopped talking when a bitter taste touched his tongue. He ran his tongue around inside his mouth hoping that the taste would go away, but it just got worse.

Shayla shushed him quietly as she reached out and touched his cheek.

"I know, Hap. I'm sorry too," she said. Happy grinned at her.

"Move over," he said as he moved closer to her. Shayla slid to where her back was against the back of the couch and lifted the blanket while Happy slid in next to her. Shayla covered him with her blanket and rested her head on his chest. She ran her hand under his kutte while she snuggled into his side.

Maybe he did care about her after all.


	21. Chapter 21

Shayla woke up a couple hours later covered in sweat. Her fever had finally broke and she hoped that it was for good. She was so over being sick. She was tired of relying on others to take care of her.

Happy was no longer laying next to her. She looked around her living room, but he was nowhere to be found. Had she imagined him? Had he just been a dream? Was she still alone waiting, hoping that Kozik would come back? She groaned while she sat up. Her joints weren't as achy as they were when she first got sick, but they were still bothersome.

She heard footsteps in the kitchen so she leaned over to see who it was. She grinned upon seeing the familiar patch of the Reaper. Happy stood in front of her stove cooking something. She couldn't smell what it was unless it didn't have a smell.

"I didn't know you knew how to work a stove," Shayla said resting her chin against the arm of the couch. Happy looked very tired.

"It took me a while, but I figured it out," he said turning back to the stove. Shayla grabbed her blanket and pulled it up over her shoulders. She stood from the couch with a grunt. She tightened the blanket around her before she made her way into the kitchen.

She stepped next to Happy so she could see what he was making. Inside the pot that he was currently stirring, were huge chunks of chicken floating around with slices of carrots and celery. There were noodles mixed in with it.

It looked to be homemade chicken noodle soup.

She grinned as she looked up at Happy. Happy focused on the food, but he watched her in his peripheral. She looked back down at the soup as she leaned up against Happy.

"This looks great," she said.

"It's Ma's recipe," he mentioned as he took a sip of the broth. He grabbed some spices that Shayla didn't pay much attention to. She took note of the mention of his mother. It would be the second time he had mentioned her. Happy turned to her and placed his palm against her forehead.

"Your fever is gone for now. How do you feel?" he asked as he turned back to the stove. Shayla shrugged.

"Better, I guess. I'm going to go try and shower," she said walking to her bedroom so she could get some clean clothes.

"Good," Happy said testing the soup again.

"You saying I smell funny, Mr. Lowman?" Shayla asked as she dug through her underwear drawer.

"You don't smell great," Happy confirmed as he stepped away from the stove. He leaned against the threshold of her room.

"Good thing I can't smell then," Shayla said with a chuckle. She cradled the clothes that she had as she walked towards him. Happy glanced down at the bundle of clothes in her arms to see a plain, black g-string.

"I could be so lucky," Happy stated as he still blocked her path. "I'm not sure what woke me up first; your smell or you snoring directly in my ear." Shayla grinned at him sheepishly.

"Sorry about that," she said as she stopped in front of him. "Maybe we can go crawl in bed after I shower so we'll have more room." Happy looked over at her bed. He had never been in her bed before. Any bed sounded good to him as long as Shayla was laying next to him.

"Shower, then you need to eat something. We can lay down after," Happy compromised. Shayla sighed.

"I haven't tasted anything in days," she said forlornly as she pushed passed Happy. "Food as lost its appeal." Happy grabbed her arm and forced her to look at him.

"You're gonna eat," he demanded. Shayla clicked her tongue and rolled her eyes.

"Fine. Shower, food, bed," she agreed. Happy's grip loosened on her arm so she could finally shower. She walked into the bathroom and grimaced at her reflection. God she looked like shit. Her skin was pale and clammy. Her hair was all over the damned place. She had dark circles under her eyes. She ran her fingers through her hair to tame the wild mess a little. She leaned in and touched the circles under her eyes. She huffed.

She turned towards the shower and turned on the water so it could start getting hot. She started stripping off her clothes. Her clothes felt like they were sticking to her skin. She felt so disgusting. She stepped under the water once it was hot enough and she shivered. She reached down and turned the water up a little. She made it so hot she could barely stand it, but if she was going to get any better, then she would have to deal. She leaned her head back a little and let the water wash over her face and down her chest.

She started coughing almost immediately as the hot water started breaking her congestion loose.

Happy glanced over at the bathroom door as he heard Shayla inside coughing. The shower was going to do her a world of good. He turned the soup on low and turned to the sink where there were dishes soaking. There was food dried on plates and liquids that had turned to muck at the bottom of cups. She hadn't been well enough to clean and it didn't look like Kozik had taken it upon himself to clean up a little since Shayla was sick.

Happy frowned as he sank his hands into the water so he could start washing dishes. The Tacoma Charter was out searching for Kozik, but if Kozik didn't want to be found, then they weren't going to find him. Happy needed to be out there searching for his friend with his brothers, but there he was, doing dishes like some kind of goddamn housewife.

He hadn't even told the club that he was back in town. When Shayla had called him while he was still in Chicago, Happy knew he had to get back to her. She was sick and Kozik had abandoned her. She had no one. Happy was supposed to take care of her, and he had turned his back on her.

Happy hoped that Kozik was okay wherever he was. The Sons had a lot of enemies in Tacoma. They tried to keep the streets clean of crime and drugs. They were a huge influence there and all of the bad guys feared them. If they had a chance to capture one of them, they wouldn't pass up the chance.

He finished with the dishes then wiped down the counters before he let the water out of the sink. He washed the sink as the water was draining. He could still hear Shayla hacking in the shower.

"I fucking hate being sick!" he heard her yell in the shower. Happy looked at the bathroom door then scoffed. She was being a baby. No one liked being sick.

Shayla coughed up more mucus and spit it as close to the drain as she could. She had managed to get one nostril clear, but the other was being a stubborn little asshole. She tried blocking the cleared nostril and tried to blow. All that did was put a crippling pressure in her sinuses. She groaned as she released her nose and put her palm on her forehead.

Happy stepped out on Shayla's front porch when he heard a motorcycle pull in. Lee shut his bike off while he eyed Happy curiously.

"Didn't realize you were back in town," Lee said. Happy shrugged.

"Got done early," he replied.

"And you didn't report in?" Lee said as he got off his motorcycle. He reached in his saddlebags.

Happy looked over his shoulder at the closed door. He looked back to the VP when he pulled a plastic bag out.

"I've only been back a couple hours. Barely had a chance to sleep," Happy explained. Lee hummed as he approached the house. Lee nodded his head to the house.

"How's our girl?" he asked.

"She's taking a shower," Happy said turning to walk in the house.

"Good, she was looking like shit," Lee said stepping into the house. As soon as Lee stepped in, his nose wrinkled at the smell.

"Oh, man, your mom's soup? Are you trying to kill her?" Lee teased as he dropped the bag on the table.

"Never killed me," Happy reasoned as Lee walked over to the stove. Lee stirred the soup a little before he scooped some up and brought it to his nose. Lee all but gagged as he dropped it back into the pot.

"I bet Shayla has been bitching about the smell all day," Lee said walking back over to the bag he had carried in.

"She can't smell anything right now," Happy said as he bent to pick up all of the used tissues that didn't quite make it to the trash can.

"I wish I couldn't smell anything right now," Lee said as he pulled a couple cans of soup from the bag. He pulled some more tissues out along with a couple cans of disinfectant.

"How did everything go in Chicago?" Lee changed the subject. Happy shrugged as he tossed the used tissues in her main trashcan in the kitchen.

"Easier than expected. I was hoping for at least a little excitement," Happy said honestly.

"Good, we got enough shit going on," Lee grumbled. "Clay is going to be here Sunday to take care of the Travis situation. They asked us not to tell Shayla so they can surprise her."

"They gonna take his patch?" Happy asked. Happy hoped for it if he was going to be honest with himself. Before he would have settled with just removing him as President, but that stunt he pulled by killing their informant was the last straw. That wasn't how the Sons of Anarchy operated.

Brains before bullets.

"I don't know yet. Usually take more than a couple stupid decisions to get stripped, but we'll see," Lee said as he took a quick glance around Shayla's place.

They heard the shower turn off and both men looked to the bathroom door. Lee grinned looking to Happy out of the corner of his eye.

"You make her your Old Lady yet?" Lee yeased. Happy glared at the man. Lee chuckled. "Just askin'."

Shayla appeared out of the bathroom a few moments later wearing a pair of pajama bottoms that had Sonic the Hedgehog all over them and a black t-shirt that had the Sega logo across the chest.

She looked surprised to see Lee, but she smiled sweetly at him. Lee returned the grin.

"Hey, Lee, what brings you here?" she asked crossing her arms over her chest to hide the fact that she wasn't wearing a bra. She didn't mind so much running around in front of Happy braless, but Lee was a different story.

"Came by to bring you some more supplies. Didn't realize that Happy had come back already so he could take care of you," Lee said completely ignoring the glare he was receiving from the Enforcer in the room. Shayla chuckled.

"He's not been back long," she said eyeing Happy with a grin. "Thank you for bringing me all this, Lee. You really didn't have to do that." Lee shrugged nonchalantly.

"We take care of our own," Lee reminded her with a pat on her shoulder. "I'm glad you're feeling better."

"Thank you, me too," she said politely. Lee nodded to her as he turned towards the door.

"I'd better head out. Got some errands," Lee stated.

"Hey, Lee," Shayla said catching the VP's attention. "When you find Kozy, can you make sure he's still got my bank card? I'm running low on groceries and I'm going to have to dip into my stash which I've been trying to avoid." Lee frowned as he glanced at Happy.

"He has your bank card?" Lee asked stepping closer to Shayla. She nodded.

"I needed some things for the house and I didn't want him to pay for it," she said tightening her arms a little around her chest. Lee looked to Happy nervously. "Should I have not done that?" Shayla continued as she shifted her gaze between the two.

"Can you give me and Happy a minute?" Lee requested. Shayla glanced at Happy who gave her a quick nod of his head. Shayla looked back to Lee and nodded.

"I'm going to go blow dry my hair," Shayla said turning back to her bathroom so she could give the boys some privacy. Lee and Happy stepped out on the front porch to guarantee Shayla not over hearing.

"You know we've had our suspicions about Kozik using again. We've been keeping a close eye on him, but now that he's disappeared, and with Shayla's bank card… it's starting to make our suspicions look more like facts," Lee said.

"I should have never agreed to go to Chicago," Happy grumbled as he crossed his arms. If he hadn't agreed to go to Chicago, he and Shayla would have never had that fight. Shayla wouldn't have gotten sick. Kozik wouldn't have disappeared.

"It's not your fault. We all turned a blind eye to it. We never want to believe that it's one of our own," Lee said comfortingly. "But it doesn't change the fact that _if_ he has done what we think, he's stolen from the daughter of Clay Morrow, who is going to be here tomorrow."

"This doesn't look good, Lee," Happy said turning his head towards the front door when he heard Shayla inside walking around.

"Yeah, no shit. We need to get the reins back on this shit and quick." Lee paused for a moment so he could look up at the cloudy sky above Tacoma. "I want you to get some sleep then I want you out there looking for Kozik. You know all the little nooks and crannies." Happy nodded just as his phone buzzed in his pocket. He pulled it out and flipped it open just to find that Shayla had texted him. He opened it.

_I need you._

Happy flipped his phone closed and looked to his VP. Lee eyed him curiously. It didn't take a rocket scientist to figure out who had just texted Happy. Lee smirked and shook his head. He tilted his head to the door giving him the go ahead. Happy opened the front door and stepped inside. He figured Shayla would have been in the living room, but she was nowhere to be seen.

"In here," he heard her call out from her bedroom. Happy walked to her bedroom and stood at the door. Shayla was sitting on the edge of her bed with a little wooden box in her lap. He had seen it before. It sat on her dresser next to her jewelry box. It was a simple wooden box that Happy always figured was a secondary jewelry box.

It sat open as Shayla stared down at it. She sniffled and brought a tissue up to her nose. She looked to Happy and Happy felt his whole body go rigid. Hot tears streamed down her cheeks and Happy made a vow to end whoever had brought those tears to her eyes.

"This is where I kept my stash," she said looking back down to the box. Happy looked down at the box to see that it was empty. "I put the money that was going to be for rent in here and all the money that I made in the bars. There was over a thousand dollars in here. Where did it all go?"

Happy felt a rage rush through him like he had never felt before. He hadn't touched it. He didn't even know that she had that stash. It was a generic hiding spot when it came to hiding money so it probably didn't take long for whoever to find it. He took a quick look around her room. It didn't look like anything was out of place. They knew what they were looking for. It had to be Kozik. He was the only other one who it could possibly be. He was the only other person who had been in her house.

"I came in here to get money to give to Lee for bringing me all he has for the past couple days, but it's all gone. What am I going to do, Happy? Kozy has my bank card, my stash has been stolen. My utilities are due," she said looking up at him desperately. Happy all but growled at the helpless look she gave him. Someone was going to pay. She looked back down to the box and closed the lid.

"Did Herman do this?" she asked quietly. Happy narrowed his eyes at her. It was strange hearing Kozik's first name especially from Shayla. She was always sure to call anyone by the name the club addressed them as. "Is he using again?"

"It's what it's starting to look like," Lee said from her doorway. Shayla sniffled again and brought the tissue up to her nose. She stood from her bed suddenly as she looked up to Happy with wide eyes. Realization made her eyes sparkle.

"He has my card," she said. She looked back on her bed looking for something, but apparently it wasn't there. She walked to the bedroom door, discarding the empty box on top of her dresser. Lee stood out of her way. Happy followed behind her. Shayla rushed into her bathroom and took a quick look around.

"What are you doing?" Happy asked her as she rushed from her bathroom and into the living room.

"I'm looking for my phone. I need to call my bank," she said quickly as she spotted her cell phone on the coffee table.

"It's Saturday," Lee stated. "Banks are closed by now." Shayla ignored him as she scrolled through her contacts and pushed send. Happy stepped in close to her as she listened to the first menu on her phone. She put in her account number then listened to the prompt. She put in her PIN. She listened again. Happy watched her as her face fell and she looked up at him. She flipped her phone closed as tears started to fall once more.

"I've been cleaned out," she said in a tiny voice. "Oh God, Happy, it's all gone." She let out a sob as she stepped forward and buried her head in his chest. She kept the tissue in her hand against her face so she didn't get snot all over Happy's shirt and kutte. Happy wrapped an arm around her waist in comfort, but he wasn't sure how much comfort he was going to be able to provide. Happy was ready to go on a killing spree. He was ready to shred the throats of every last mother fucker that had ever hurt Shayla and brought tears to those beautiful eyes of hers.

Happy looked at Lee who was watching the two with mixed emotions of amazement and anger.

"I need to get out there," Happy stated. He needed to join in on the search. They had to find Kozik. He had to be punished. Lee shook his head.

"Not right now. You're dead on your feet. You need sleep more than what Shayla does now." Just to prove him right, the adrenaline rush Happy had came to a screeching halt and it took everything in Happy's power not to yawn. Happy was tired. Too fucking tired to be holding up over six hundred pounds of motorcycle.

Happy looked down at Shayla as she stepped away from him. She wiped the tears from her cheeks. She walked over to the tissues that Lee had brought her and grabbed herself another one. She tossed the old one.

"It's going to be okay," Lee sad as he walked to Shayla. "I want you to make a list of everything you need and give it to Happy. When he joins on the search, we'll give the list to a Prospect and he'll get everything you need." Shayla nodded and she stood next to Happy and leaned up against his shoulder.

"Thank you," she said as she wiped at her cheeks again. Lee nodded then turned towards the door.

"Get some sleep, Hap. Call me in the morning," Lee commanded and Happy huffed. He really didn't want to wait out the night, but he didn't have any other choice. He had been up for too damned long. He needed rest so he could be alert. Shayla walked Lee to her door and saw him out. Happy watched her as she waved to Lee as he started his motorcycle then she closed her door.

"I'm tired again," Shayla said looking up at Happy.

"Food first, then bed," Happy said walking over to Shayla's cabinet so he could pull a bowl down. Happy walked to the stove. Shayla groaned in protest as Happy felt her arms wrap around his waist. Happy's body involuntarily tensed just as it always did when Shayla held him.

"Can't we just skip the food? I'm not sure if my sense of smell is coming back the wrong way, but the soup smells like shit," Shayla said. Happy chuckled as he poured the soup into the bowl.

"No, it really does smell like shit," Happy said turning. Shayla released him as he turned. "It doesn't taste much better either." Happy motioned for her to go into the living room which Shayla obeyed. She sat down on the couch while Happy handed her the bowl. "One bowl of this and a good night's rest and you'll be back to normal by tomorrow morning." Shayla grimaced down at the smelly chicken noodle soup.

"What's even in this?" Shayla asked as she grabbed the spoon. Happy smirked as he sat down on the other end of the couch.

"Family secret. Just eat it," he said. Shayla glowered at the soup again. She took a sip of it then all but gagged.

"It tastes just like it smells!" she said. Happy chuckled as he turned the tv on so they could watch something for a few minutes before they went back to bed.

"I told you it tasted like shit," Happy said honestly.

"What is that? Onion?" Shala asked looking down at the bowl disgusted. She looked to Happy who was getting a kick out of her. "What the hell, Hap? You better be glad I don't have any food allergies."

"Quit your bitchin' and eat the damned soup. I'm ready to get some sleep," Happy demanded. Shayla smacked her lips together a couple times before she sucked it up and ate the soup. Shayla went ahead and took some more meds to keep her fever down in case it decided it was going to come back. She took a few gulps of Nyquil to help her sleep. She drank some water so she could stay hydrated as well before she went to the bathroom so she could brush her teeth. Shayla was going to be tasting that nasty ass soup for the rest of her life.

Happy was laying on her bed a pair of pajama bottoms and a t shirt on. His kutte had been laid across her dresser carefully. She grinned at him as he laid out above the covers. She turned the light off and walked over to the bed. She tugged down the blankets then slid in. Happy watched her curiously.

"What?" Shayla asked as she snuggled down into the blankets.

"You normally take your pants off," he said with a shrug. Shayla giggled as she watched Happy get under the blankets with her.

"Yeah well, I'm wearing a g-string right now and I don't think you'd be able to handle that," Shayla said as a matter of fact. Happy looked at her out of the corner of his eye.

"I could take my pants of if it would help," he offered with a smirk. Shayla snickered. She lifted the blanket and looked under.

"Why are you wearing a g-string too?" Shayla teased. Happy rolled towards her as his hand shot down to his pants.

"Yeah, wanna see it?" he said tugging at the hem of his pants. Shayla squealed as she lowered the blanket. She started hacking and coughing. She reached for the box of tissues that sat on her nightstand. Happy watched her while she coughed up everything that she could. Once she was done hacking up a lung, she flopped back onto the bed and stared at the ceiling with a huff. She lay there for a moment before she let her head fall to the side so she could look at Happy. Happy still laid on his side watching Shayla.

"Why did you say all those things to me when you left for Chicago?" Shayla whispered. Happy sighed as he rolled onto his back.

"What does it matter?" he responded defensively. Shayla rolled to him and leaned up on her elbow.

"Because, Hap, you said a lot of hurtful things. Things I didn't deserve," she stated. Happy eyed her. His gaze was hard and Shayla knew she was treading on thin ice.

"I shouldn't have said those things," he said quietly.

"No, you shouldn't have. I have been nothing but good to you and SAMTAC since I've been here, helping where I can, doing what I can. I know I pressed you with all those questions, but I was worried about you. You were going to leave me for a week and I panicked," Shayla said as she ran her finger down his arm.

"It was just a week," Happy reasoned. "Why would you freak out over that?" Shayla sighed as she laid back down on her pillow. Happy watched her patiently while she thought about what she was going to say.

"Because you're the only one in Tacoma that I feel safe with," she admitted. "I mean, I thought I could trust Herman, but we see how well that worked out." Happy narrowed his eyes at her then he rolled back onto his side so he could face her. She was picking at the edge of her blanket to avoid his gaze. "I know how dangerous it can be out there on a run and with those gunshots that I heard... I was afraid that something was going to happen then I was going to be all alone."

Happy reached out and placed a hand on her cheek gently. Shayla finally brought her eyes up to meet his. She felt safe with Happy. He couldn't make any sense of it. Why would anyone ever feel safe with him? He was a dangerous man who was capable of horrible things. No one needed to feel safe with him. They needed to feel fear and dread with him. He had worked so hard for that image and there Shayla was breaking right through that resolve that he had worked so hard for.

"The run to Chicago and the gunshots had nothing to do with each other," Happy offered her. Shayla stared at him in wonder. "The run to Chicago went smooth and the shit with the gunshots is going to be taken care of soon." Shayla grinned at him for a moment before she slid across the bed and put her head against his chest. He stared down at her for a moment before he laid his arm across her waist.


	22. Chapter 22

Shayla wasn't sure what time she finally woke up, but all she knew was that it was dark. She tried to move a little, but there was a weight on her that wasn't allowing movement. Shayla took a deep breath and was greeted by the smell of Happy. She grinned to herself. She was glad that she was able to smell again and was even more glad that she was smelling Happy instead of that God awful soup that he had made her. She wondered if it was actually supposed to be like that or if it Happy had messed it up.

She attempted to stretch out even though Happy was currently tangled around her body and she nearly squealed in delight when she didn't feel any aches or pains. She refrained since Happy was still sleeping soundly pressed up against her. She didn't want to wake him. He was practically laying on top of her with his arm around her. His hand was palm down on the bed, but Shayla was very aware that it was currently touching her tits. His face was buried in her neck and Shayla wasn't a hundred percent certain, but it felt like his lips was against her skin. His leg was draped over hers and mimicked her other leg. His breath tickled her neck with each one he took. She resisted the urge to shiver.

Instead of trying to move Happy off her so she could get up for a little while, she closed her eyes and went back to sleep.

Happy opened his eyes slowly and took in his surroundings. At least as much as he could since it was dark inside Shayla's room. He was aware of Shayla currently wrapped up in his arms snoring away. He leaned his head up so he could look at the clock that sat on Shayla's nightstand. It was nearly three in the morning. He wasn't sure what time they had finally managed to get to sleep, but he felt like he had slept for three days straight.

Happy looked down at Shayla through the glow of the clock and grinned. She didn't sound congested anymore. Her skin didn't feel all slimy from the fever sweats. She didn't smell sick anymore. It would appear that his mother's soup had done it again. She was going to be right as rain whenever she decided to wake up.

She wiggled a little in his grasp and the motion pressed her ass directly against his dick. His dick responded accordingly and his hips shamefully pressed back. Jesus fuck, he wanted her. He removed his hand from between her tits and placed his hand on her hip. Shayla snorted in her sleep a little and opened her eyes. She looked up at Happy.

"Happy, I know you can't help it, but your boner is poking me in the ass," she said groggily. Happy risked grinding his hips against her.

"My boner wants to do more than just poke your ass," he growled in her ear. Shayla chuckled as she raised her arm to push him away. She slinked away from him then sat up on the edge of the bed. Happy was behind her in an instant. Shayla felt her breath catch as his knees spread on either side of her hips.

Happy's hand went under her hair and lightly squeezed the back of her neck. Shayla let her head fall forward so he could get a good grip on her. Her heart pounded in her ears so loud that she wasn't able to hear anything else. Not even the little space heater that she kept going in her room at night. Or did she even turn it on? Was it even that cold that night? She wasn't quite sure since her whole body felt like it was on fire and it wasn't from the fever she had for the past week.

No, it was from the man behind her smelling like leather and Harley exhaust. Happy's fingers pressed into her neck lightly and Shayla swallowed hard. She prayed that he couldn't feel her muscles as she swallowed. His other hand pushed her hair over her shoulder to expose the left side of her neck. She needed to stand up and stop him from what he was doing to her, but she didn't want to.

The sparse amount of cloth serving as her panties were completely drenched. She clenched her hands into fists to keep from shaking. She held her breath so she didn't let her breath shudder. She bit her lip as she felt Happy's lips pressed to her ear. She closed her eyes as she tilted her head a little.

"You and I both know how bad we want this," Happy growled in her ear. Shayla's brow twisted for a split second then her eyes shot open. She couldn't be doing that. She wasn't like that. She was above it. Beyond it. She was worth more than just a quick fuck. She stood from the bed and slipped from Happy's grasp so quick that he didn't have time to grab her again. She took a quick breath. She gathered her courage and shoved the clump into her voice.

"Yes, Happy, I'm aware," she started off. Her voice came off a lot more harsh than what she originally intended. "We'd have to be blind not to see it." She took a deep breath hoping that it would curb her arousal just a little. It didn't help in the least.

"Then what's stopping you," Happy asked standing from the bed. Shayla could only see a faint outline of him from the glow of her clock. Shayla gathered what little courage she had left.

"Because I don't even know if you care about me," she said in a loud voice. She kept her hands by her sides so she would come off stronger than what she felt. Her knees were shaking so bad that she could swear she could hear them knocking together.

It all happened so sudden that Shayla got dizzy. Happy's hands were on her face. He pulled her forward. His lips crashed to hers so hard that it hurt her. She didn't even have time to register what his lips tasted like or how they felt before they were gone. She stood in a daze.

"If you can't see how I feel about you, then you really are blind," he said in a deep, gravelly voice. Shayla looked up at him through the darkness. She could barely make out his features in the red glow of the clock, but she could feel his stare. The intensity.

"Then tell me," Shayla said in such a low whisper she wasn't sure if she said it at all.

Happy's lips crashed against hers again. Shayla saw it coming so she was able to react. His lips were chapped from the time he had spent on the road. The dry skin scratched at her lips in the most wonderful way. She parted her lips a little so she could taste him. She moaned into his lips as electricity shot through her entire nervous system. She completely melted against him.

Happy's hands grabbed her waist and lifted her off the floor. Shayla wrapped her legs around his waist as he wrapped his arms around hers to hold her up. Shayla put her hands on his face and angled her head differently so she could kiss him better. Shayla felt them turn and felt her start to tip backwards across the bed.

His hands traveled up her back as she leaned back and his fingers tangled in her hair. He tugged on it, but not to where it hurt her. Their kiss was sloppy and desperate. Shayla's hands slid to the back of his neck so she could pull him closer to her. If that was even possible. Her nails dug into his skin just enough to let Happy know they were there.

Happy broke the kiss and both of them took a quick breath of air. Happy's breath was hot in her face. He placed his forehead against hers.

"You're mine," he said definitely. Shayla's whole existence shuddered. Happy moved to kiss her again, but a sudden light appeared nearby that caught their attention along with the vibrations of a phone call. Shayla looked from the phone to Happy.

"That's you," she said breathlessly. Shayla never put her phone on vibrate. "This early in the morning?" Shayla released Happy as he moved off her so he could answer his phone. Shayla sat up on her bed. She needed a moment to collect herself. Her breath was rushed. She reached up and started running her fingers through her hair.

Happy flicked on the lamp on Shayla's nightstand causing Shayla to wince. She wasn't ready for it. Happy grabbed his phone and flipped it open. Shayla watched Happy while he listened to whoever it was on the other line.

"Where?" was all he said then he flipped the phone closed. Happy leaned forward on the edge of the bed and ran a hand over his head. He took a deep breath before he looked to Shayla. His eyes wandered down her body for a moment.

"They found Kozik," Happy said looking away from Shayla. Shayla perked up and got on her hands and knees to get closer to him.

"What? Where?" she asked quickly.

"St. Joes," Happy said simply. Shayla gave him a questioning look.

"St. Joes? What's that?" she asked.

"It's a hospital, Shayla. He OD'd." Shayla felt her heart drop. She sat back on her knees.

"Is he alive?" she asked in a worried tone. Happy nodded. Shayla slid off her bed and stood on shaky legs. "We have to get there now." She rushed over to her dresser and opened up her underwear drawer. She heard Happy get up behind her. She pulled out a bra and underwear for her to change into. She heard Happy walk out of her room and she turned her head to watch him leave. She bit her lip wondering if she should bring up what they had just done, but she figured putting it off for a bit was a better choice.

She opened another drawer and pulled out a pair of jeans to put on. She hurried and pulled down her underwear. She debated throwing the panties she had on away since they were wrecked. God, she was a mess. She tossed the pants and underwear in her laundry basket. She grabbed a bath towel out of the laundry basket so she could clean herself up a little. She wiped herself as clean as she could get then hurried and pulled her clothes on. She took her shirt off then went to her closet. She didn't even look at which t-shirt she grabbed.

She ripped her shirt off then threw on her bra. She put the shirt on. She walked out of her room after snatching up a pair of socks to wear. Happy was already dressed and was lacing his boots. Shayla sat down next to him long enough to pull her socks on then shot back up. She rushed into the bathroom so she could grab her hairbrush. She came out to see Happy standing next to the front door adjusting his kutte.

"We'll take your car. I'm driving," Happy said. Shayla power walked to him so she could slip on her shoes. Happy grabbed her keys off the little hook next to her door. And out into the cold Tacoma air they went.

Shayla wrung her fingers together as she watched Tacoma speed by her window. She was so angry with Kozik for what he had done to her, but that didn't mean she wanted anything bad to happen to him. He was out there on the streets of Tacoma all by himself. He was vulnerable without the club. They could have helped him. They would have gotten him into rehab. He would make it right with her. She had seen it happen before.

Why did he have to go and be so stupid? It didn't have to be that way. The club was aware of his past and the things he had done. But they were also aware of the man he had become and that was what they focused on. So that was what Shayla was going to focus on. Drugs always made good people make bad decisions.

Happy reached over and placed a hand on the inside of her thigh. She looked down at his hand just as he ran his thumb across her leg. She looked to him. She watched as the lights from the street lights danced across his face. He was focused on the road. Shayla could tell he was anxious. He kept shifting in the driver's seat of the car as if he couldn't get comfortable.

"Can we talk about what happened or is now the time for that?" she asked as she squeezed her fingers. Happy glanced at her quickly before his gaze settled back on the road.

"Figured it was pretty self explanatory," Happy said casually. Shayla grinned as she looked down at her hands. She was glad it was dark because she was sure her face was strawberry red.

"So…" she drawled out. "Just like that?" Happy glanced at her a little longer.

"What are you getting at, Shayla?"

"Well, I mean, are we like, dating now?" Shayla asked looking at him. Happy scoffed while he looked at her. He shook his head while he looked back at the road.

"Is that what you want to call it?" Happy asked with amusement. Shayla shrugged as she looked out of her window again.

"Only if that's what this is," Shayla said then she had to swallow. She sounded so stupid. She wanted to slap herself. Shayla felt the car start to slow down so she looked forward to figure out why they were stopping. They had made it to the hospital.

She had seen it before, but she wasn't aware that it was a hospital. The structure didn't really make it seem like it was a hospital. It reminded her of something she would see on The Jetsons. He pulled into the hospital and followed the signs to the ER portion of the hospital.

"You can call it whatever you want," Happy said swerving the car into a parking spot. "As long as you don't forget that you belong to me now." Shayla snorted as she clicked the button on the seat belt to release her from its confines.

"I didn't realize you were such a romantic, Hap," Shayla teased as she opened her car door. Happy smirked at her while he opened his own. Shayla checked herself in the mirror real quick before she got out of the car. She closed the door and walked to Happy who was waiting for her. Happy led the way.

As they approached the doors that led into the waiting room of the ER, Shayla saw a small group of SAMTAC members standing around. Their body language signified arguing. Shayla frowned. Why weren't they inside with Kozik? That's where they needed to be not outside arguing over something that clearly wasn't helpful.

"Stay behind me," Happy commanded as he reached out to her. He grabbed her elbow and directed her to where she was walking behind him. One by one, the Sons noticed Happy's arrival. They all seemed relieved of his presence. That was up until Travis noticed Shayla behind him.

"What the fuck is she doing here?" he hissed motioning to Shayla. Shayla narrowed her eyes at him and bit her tongue. She knew that Travis didn't like her even though she never gave him any reason not to. He was nice to her until Tig had left and it was like he had become a completely different man after that. He rarely spoke to her, he would walk away when she would join in on the group, he would glare at her every time they locked eyes.

"Come on, man, lay off her," Lee defended her. "It's not like she'll be in the way since we can't even get back there thanks to you." Happy looked to Lee.

"What do you mean?" he inquired looking back to Travis.

"Travis just showed his ass in the fucking waiting room and we were all asked to leave. They're not letting us back there to see him because "we're not immediate family"," Lee accused with air quotes. Shayla saw Happy's shoulders stiffen. Shayla glanced to the doors that led into the ER and made a quick decision. She stepped in closer to Happy and placed her hands on his back to let him know that she was there.

She stood on her tiptoes so she could press her lips to his ear. Happy turned his head a little so he could look back at her.

"I've got this," she whispered then she walked off. Happy watched her leave curiously. Lee and Travis advanced each other violently and Happy had to separate them.

Shayla walked up to the receptionist with a false look of worry on her face. She leaned forward a little to get the attention of the woman that was typing away on her computer furiously. Whatever that had happened with the Sons was probably still on her mind and had put her in a bad mood. The woman looked up at her.

"Can I help you?" she asked monotonously.

"Uhm, yes, ma'am," she said trying to sound as worried as she looked. "I was told that my husband has been admitted here. His name is Kozik, Herman Kozik." She spelled the last name to make things easier. It wasn't like it was a hard name to spell, but it was unique and people always spelled it wrong. The woman typed his name into the computer so she could figure out where he was.

The woman looked up to Shayla once his file was pulled up. She pointed to the door that led back into the rooms and gave Shayla directions on where Kozik's room was. Shayla smiled at the receptionist as she made her way to the door. The nurse hit the button which allowed her to enter. She walked through the door and tried to remember the directions that the woman had given her.

Shayla hated hospitals. She hated the way they smelled, as if they expected bleach and other cleansers to hide the smell of death, but it didn't. It just mixed together into a smell that was unique to hospitals and hospitals alone. The ER had individual rooms lining one side of the halls with the nurse's station in the center.

She looked into each room as she walked by hoping that one of them was where Kozik was. She wasn't sure what she was going to do once she found him. The anger that she felt towards him was starting to bubble up in her stomach, but she knew that now wasn't the time since they were in the middle of a hospital. Or was it the best time since they were in the middle of a hospital? A doctor came out of one of the little rooms looking a clipboard.

He looked to be close to fifty with his peppery gray hair. His eyes were tired and worn from years and years from the grueling life of medical.

"Excuse me, I'm looking for Herman Kozik," she said. The doctor looked up at her for a brief moment.

"And you are…" he fished.

"Shayla Kozik, his wife," Shayla offered. The doctor gave her a thin lipped smile as he nodded. He motioned to the room he had just left.

"Your husband suffered an overdose of methamphetamine. The overdose triggered a seizure and a mild heart attack. We've managed to stabilize him, but we do recommend getting him into a rehab for detox," the doctor said. Shayla nodded. "You can go in and see him. He's still kind of out of it, though so don't be alarmed if he talks nonsense," the doctor said.

"Thank you," Shayla said with a nod then made her way into the room.

It was weird seeing Kozik without his kutte on. It was even weirder seeing him so lifeless. He laid there as if he were dead, but the heart monitor said otherwise. His skin was pale. His lips were so light they nearly blended in with the rest of his skin. His eyes were dark. She bit her lip as she sat down on the little rolly chair that doctor's usually sat in. She rolled over to the edge of the bed hoping the sound was going to be enough to wake him up, but he didn't move.

She reached out and ran her hand across his cheek gently. He opened his eyes slowly and they focused on Shayla for a moment. His eyes widened as he became aware. His heart rate skyrocketed. He tried to sit up and look around the room as if he expected to see someone with her; someone being Happy. Shayla shushed him gently as she stood back up. She placed her other hand on his cheek. He looked up at her with wide, terrified eyes.

Then his features twisted into regret and self loathing. He closed his eyes in shame.

"Shay Bug," he said as if he was trying not to start crying. "Jesus Christ I'm so sorry." She knew that he was sorry. She could feel it in his voice. But saying it was one thing, making it right was another.

"You stole every last penny I had, Herman," Shayla stated. Kozik flinched at the mention of his first name. Shayla only used it when she was pissed off at him.

"I know I did, even as I was taking it, every voice in my head was screaming for me not to, but all I cared about was getting high again." Tears worked to the edges of his eyes when he looked up at her. "I know it's not an excuse or even a good fucking reason."

"You were clean," Shayla interrupted as she sat back down on the doctor's chair. "For so long." She was sure to put as much disappointment in her voice as she could so he could hear it. Kozik ran his hand over his face.

"I know. I've let a lot of people down. I've betrayed your trust. I don't know how I'm going to make this right, but I promise you that I will, Shay Bug. I'll make it right with you and the club," he said quickly. He was getting excited again. Shayla just listened to him.

"You can start by giving me names," Shayla said simply.

"You know I can't do that, Shay Bug," Kozik said with a shake of his head. Shayla frowned at him.

"You know as well as I do if you tell the boys who was selling you the shit that they'll take that into consideration when they discuss what they're going to do with you," Shayla reasoned with him. Kozik eyed her cautiously.

"It's not your place," Kozik retorted.

"You of all people should know that's bullshit," Shayla said leaning forward.

"Doesn't change the fact that this is club business and club business is none of yours," he grumbled as he leaned his head back on the pillow. Shayla shook her head and stood from her seat.

"I don't know who you're protecting, but you need to give me a name, Herman. The boys can't get back here to you because Travis was acting a damned fool out front and now none of them are allowed back here. I'm only here because I told them we're married. I'm the only one who can tell them. Now give. Me. A. Name." Kozik looked up to her for a moment before he looked away and shook his head. Shayla sighed and shook her head.

"You're protecting a drug dealer, Herman. You realize that don't you? What is wrong with you?" Shayla scolded. Kozik looked away from her. Shayla sighed and shook her head. "Fine. Don't give me a name. But give me something. You owe this to me, Herman." Still he said nothing. Shayla shook her head again then turned towards the door.

"I can't lose the club, Shay Bug," Kozik said suddenly. Shayla stopped walking then looked over her shoulder at him.

"That's not for me to decide," she said then turned towards the door leading out of his room.

"Jesus, Shay, wait," he said trying to sit up in the bed. Shayla stopped, but didn't turn back to him. "I'll fucking tell you, but you're not going to like what I have to say."


	23. Chapter 23

Shayla hurried out of the hospital in search of Happy. The SAMTAC boys weren't where she had left them. She scanned the parking lot quickly hoping to catch the patch somewhere amongst the vehicles, but nothing came up. Her heart was thudding in her chest so quick that it sounded like a hummingbird was flitting around in her ears. She needed Happy. She needed him now. Where was he?

"Shayla," Happy said suddenly appearing next to her. Shayla jerked and nearly screamed at his sudden appearance. She turned towards him quickly and placed her hands on his shoulders. His hands rested on her waist gently. Someone else stood next to him and Shayla looked to see Lee. Shayla started looking around. It looked like it was just Happy and Lee there now.

"Travis," Shayla said in a light breath. "Where is he?" The trio fell quiet as some people walked into the ER. The automatic doors slid closed behind the strangers before Lee placed a hand on her shoulder. She looked up at him with wide, worried eyes.

"He took off with everyone else so we can get started on planning what our next move is," Lee stated. Shayla shook her head.

"No, he's running, that son of a bitch," Shayla said walking towards her car. Happy and Lee exchanged looks of confusion then hurried after Shayla.

"Shayla, what did Kozik say?" Happy asked as he caught up to her. Shayla didn't answer him as she all but sprinted to her car. Happy growled as he reached out and grabbed her arm. The motion stopped Shayla dead in her tracks. Happy stood in front of her.

"What's going on?" Happy asked trying to keep her focused. Shayla ran her hands over her face a couple times as she took a couple deep breaths.

"Kozik told me everything. It's Travis. Travis is dealing in the club. He pressured Kozik into helping him deal and a couple other members that are addicts." Happy looked to Lee as they took in her words. Former addicts basically made up SAMTAC. "He told me about the informant he killed because the informant knew who he was and how he was connected to that dude Tiki." She looked between the two men while she spoke. "Kozik said that if you want Tiki, then you have to go through Travis. The only people that Tiki is in direct contact with is suppliers. Kozik said that Tiki is going through gangs and clubs that have a lot of influence in the area to avoid heat. That this spreads beyond just the Sons of Anarchy."

"That explains why Travis had it out for Shayla. She caught onto the drug problem almost immediately after getting to Tacoma," Happy said looking to his VP. Lee nodded in agreement.

"Did Kozik give you the names of the officers that are dealing with him?" Lee asked, but Shayla shook her head.

"The nurses came in to check vitals and all that," Shayla said crossing her arms. Lee frowned as he looked away from Shayla then shook his head. Shayla bit her lip as she looked to Happy. He gave her a small grin. Lee put a hand on her shoulder drawing her attention back to him.

"You did good, Shayla. Why don't you go wait in your car for Happy?" he said motioning to her vehicle. Shayla nodded obediently while Happy held up her keys. She reached up and grabbed her keys from him then turned so she could finish walking to her car.

She slid into the passenger seat, knowing that Happy would want to drive once they left the hospital. Happy and Lee waited until she was secure inside the vehicle before they talked.

"Well, this shit storm just hit the fucking fan," Lee said running his hand through his hair. Happy nodded.

"What are we going to do? We don't know which ones are helping him. We don't know which ones we can approach about this," Happy said. Lee shrugged his shoulders.

"If we confront Travis about this shit, we risk the Sons that are helping him deal to defend him. We can't have a war within our ranks like this," Lee said. Happy nodded in agreement. Lee thought for a moment of every course of action they could take. He took a breath before he spoke. "As it sits right now, the only people that know this is you, me, and Shayla. We know that Kozik is on our side, or at least Shayla's side so we can only hope that he's not going to give them a head's up."

"Do you think he's running, just like Shayla said?" Happy asked shoving his hands in his pockets.

"I don't think so. Travis is cocky right now. He thinks he's got the club at his back, and that may be true, but those fuckers don't deserve to wear the patch," Lee snarled as his features twisted in anger. Lee took a quick calming breath. "I need to think about this, Hap. SAMCRO will be here in less than twelve hours. We need to handle this next stuff delicately with it being this deep in the club." Happy nodded again in agreement. "Go ahead and head home with Shayla. Keep her close in case Travis thinks she knows too much. He could come after her."

"I fucking dare him," Happy said in a cold tone. Lee paused looking to his friend. Lee grinned and shook his head.

"You two just need to go ahead and admit you're dating and just get over it," Lee said. Happy rolled his eyes as he let his eyes scan the parking lot slowly. There were a few cars in the lot, but there was not a soul in sight.

"We are," Happy admitted. Lee chuckled.

"It's about damned time," Lee said patting Happy's shoulder. "Now, get out of here and take care of your woman." Happy smirked then headed towards Shayla's car without another word. Shayla had her seat reclined a little while she rested her head back against the headrest. He could see that her eyes were closed. She may have been feeling better from his mother's "cure all" soup, but she was still recovering.

Shayla opened her eyes whenever she heard her car door open. She felt another wave of sleepiness hit her whenever the adrenaline rush dissipated.

She looked at Happy as he got inside the car and slid the buckle over his body. He watched Shayla out of the corner of his eye as she came to. She sat up in her seat a little so she could talk to him.

"Is everything going to be okay, Hap?" she asked as he put the car in reverse.

"I don't know. What you just told me and Lee complicates things. We're going to have to be careful," Happy said as he pulled out of the parking spot. They made their way through the parking lot as Happy continued. "Things are going to be hectic for the next couple days. You are not to leave my sight unless I say otherwise." Shayla heard Lee's motorcycle behind them as Happy pulled out into the street.

"What about work and school?" Shayla asked.

"You should be safe at work because of the doors, but I'm going to be there as often as I can to make sure nothing happens to you same goes with school. You are not to leave unless I'm there or I have told you who is going to be there to get you. If there is someone there that's not supposed to be, you call me or Lee, and you do not leave until one of us get there." Shayla nodded not wanting to argue. Shayla bit her lip and looked out of the window. She felt responsible for the things that were happening within SAMTAC at the moment since she was the one that had brought the drugs to Happy's attention, but it needed to happen.

Rules were rules.

Happy and Lee were the only ones that she could trust at the moment. Loneliness struck her suddenly. She was so far from home. She had no one to turn to. She had too little friends in Tacoma. She missed her home so much. She missed the sunshine. She missed the warmth. She missed her family. She missed the friendly smiles. She felt Happy's hand slide into the inside of her thigh and she grinned.

At least she had Happy.

Him telling her how it was going to be until further notice made her feel safer. Happy would protect her. He wouldn't let anything happen to her.

She reached down and covered his hand with hers. She ran her fingers across the massive rings that he wore. One of the rings was of a simple skull. One was a plain silver hunk of metal. There was another that had a scythe etched in. She had never really paid much attention to the details of his rings since she had never really been close enough to.

She was never much on rings. Her jewelry usually consisted of earrings, necklaces, and her nipple ring. She had thought about piercing her eyebrow, but after drawing one on an old picture of her, she decided against it. She figured it would make her look too masculine.

Shayla's stomach suddenly gurgled in so much hunger that she groaned. She looked to Happy with wide eyes. She grinned a little embarrassed.

"I haven't really eaten all week except for your nasty ass soup. I don't think I have any food at the house." She sighed as she leaned back in her seat a little more. "Of course, I don't have any money for food."

"You want breakfast?" Happy asked turning down a different road that took them off course to Shayla's house.

"You asking me out on a date?" she asked with a sly grin. Happy scoffed as he navigated through the streets.

"Breakfast is hardly a date," he mentioned. Shayla rolled her eyes.

"Well, fine, you can take me to dinner this evening and that can be a date," she said as she fiddled with his rings.

They managed to find a twenty four hour diner that Happy knew about and walked in. There was a couple cops sitting around eating breakfast before their morning shift. There was a couple others that were sitting around trying not to act fucked up since there were cops nearby. The cops paid them no mind, but that still didn't stop the paranoid glances from the people that had spent the night drinking.

The cops did show some interest in Happy whenever the two walked in. There was a group of five sitting off in a corner by themselves enjoying their coffee. One eyed Happy then nudged the man next to him. He nodded his head towards the biker and soon all PD eyes were on him. Shayla stepped next to him and took a quick look around. Happy watched the cops out of the corner of his eye as he brought his arm up to drape it over Shayla's shoulders. She leaned into his side and wrapped her arms around his waist as he led them over to a booth.

Happy made sure she sat on the side of the booth that faced the cops so Happy could keep an eye on them. He slid in next to her and Shayla let her head lean against his shoulder. Her arms wrapped around his arm while she put her legs over his own. Happy looked down at her slightly annoyed by her actions since the cops were eyeing him warily. Happy had a big, bad biker image to uphold and the woman sitting next to him was shattering it.

The waitress came by and took their orders cheerfully. Shayla ordered some eggs and some water. She wasn't sure if she was going to be able to handle any more food even though she felt like she could eat everything in their walk in. She yawned and snuggled a little more into Happy. She heard him huff. She looked up at him to find that annoyed look in his eye. She snorted.

"Get over it, Hap. Let those cops stare. They're just jealous that they have to go to work and you get to go home with me," she teased lightly. She felt him relax a little next to her.

"What did I say about that ego of yours?" Happy scolded. Shayla giggled.

"At least I come by it honestly," she said with another yawn.

"I gotta give you that." Shayla let her eyes scan the diner so she could see if the cops were still watching them. She was used to it being in the presence of a Son. The law was always certain to keep a close eye on them whenever they were around. It didn't matter if the cops were on their payroll or not. Sure enough, there were still a couple watching the pair. Shayla grinned as an idea went through her.

Shayla leaned away from Happy and lifted her hand to his cheek. She turned his head to look at her. Happy narrowed his eyes at her.

"Since they're watching us so hard, how about we put on a little show?" she asked with a sly grin. Happy smirked at her as his hand rested on her thigh. She ran her finger along his jaw as he leaned in closer to her. His arm went up and around her so he could pull her closer to him. Their lips collided roughly.

Shayla rested her palm against his cheek as a moan escaped her lips. Happy tilted his head a little more. The motion seemed to lock their lips together perfectly. She felt Happy part his lips a little and felt his tongue brush against her lips. Shayla was glad that her eyes were closed as she parted her lips because she felt her eyes roll back when his tongue intertwined with hers. She let out a little whimper as the hand on her thigh slid in between her legs.

He tried to run his hand up to her core, but she tightened her legs to stop him. Happy growled against her lips in protest, but he continued to kiss her anyways. His hand gripped her thigh hard enough to make Shayla flinch against him. She put her hand against his chest and pushed him away from her. She looked up at him with wide eyes. His grip on her thigh stayed true. The darkness that became his eyes caused Shayla to swallow.

"You two need to break it up before I slap an indecent exposure on you," a sudden voice said near their table. Shayla looked up to see one of the officers had approached them. He looked down at them in a critical manner. "This is a family restaurant." Happy gave the officer his signature glare while Shayla nuzzled into his neck. The officer moved to turn away from him, but he paused for a brief moment then turned his attention solely on Shayla.

"You seem like a good girl, there's no reason you need to be running around with the likes of him. All he'll do is get you into trouble," he advised. Happy nearly snarled at the man, but the snort that came from Shayla curbed it.

"Well, I guess it's a good thing that I like trouble," Shayla said as she ran her hand up Happy's chest. The frown the officer gave her was priceless. What else was the man expecting her to say? Was she supposed to suddenly come to and realize that he was right? Happy squeezed her against him a little smirking up at the cop. The officer shook his head then left the two alone.

Shayla slid away from Happy once their food was laid in front of them. Shayla shifted a little in her seat with a huff. Happy glanced at her curiously.

"This will be two pairs of panties that you have ruined in the past twenty four hours," Shayla hissed at him. Happy smirked then shoveled his food into his mouth.


	24. Chapter 24

"Tell me about your mom," Shayla said as she slid one of Happy's rings off his finger. They had gotten back to Shayla's a little after dawn. After smoking a joint, they laid out on the couch and found a movie to watch. Shayla had her back pressed up against Happy's chest. Happy had her wrapped up in his arms. Shayla mindlessly played with the jewelry on his fingers.

"Why?" Happy asked defensively. Shayla ignored the slight harshness in his voice as she slid the ring back on his finger.

"Because I hardly know anything about you," she said casually as she pulled the next ring off his finger. "I mean, I know you're a tattoo artist, that you're an Enforcer." She looked back at him and ran her fingers across the Men of Mayhem patch on his chest. "I know that you would do anything for the club, but beyond that, I know nothing." She looked back and slid the ring back on his finger.

"It's hardly fair. You know my family, my friends. I don't even know if you have any siblings," she reasoned as she laced her fingers with his. The size of his rings made it a little difficult so she parted their hands so she could start sliding his rings back off.

"Why does it matter?" he asked as he flexed his fingers a couple times once his rings were off.

"Because I'm your girlfriend," Shayla said looking back at him. "And as your girlfriend I'm entitled to information about you that no one else is." She sounded so sure of herself that it made Happy chuckle.

"What do you want to know?" Happy asked as he slid down into the couch a little more to get comfortable.

"I want to know about your mother. You've only mentioned her a couple times," she said as she tried lacing her fingers with his again. Happy shrugged.

"Her name is Carmela," he offered. Shayla looked back at him once more. Carmela Lowman. That was a nice name. She wondered what she looked like. She wondered if she had that same hard stare that Happy had. She wondered what kind of woman raised a man such as Happy.

She waited for Happy to tell her something else, but he didn't say anything more. Happy watched the television until it was impossible to ignore her. He looked down at her.

"What?" he asked. Shayla shrugged her shoulders. She was hoping that he would tell her something more, but apparently he had told her all he was going to.

"Was just expecting more," she said as she focused back on the movie.

"You know I have a mother," Happy said. "That's a lot more than you think." Shayla rolled her eyes then looked back at him.

"What about your dad?" she asked. Happy's mood shifted completely. A darkness settled over him similar to the one that did just before he blew up on her just as he was leaving for Chicago. The darkness in his eyes nearly blacked the entirety of his eyes. She swallowed as her heart jumped up into her throat.

"Leave it," he commanded and Shayla nodded. She had learned her lesson. She didn't want Happy to get angry with her again. Not when they had just made up. She grabbed Happy's hands and forced him to hold her tighter as she made a mental note not to talk about Happy's father. Apparently that was a touchy subject for him. So she decided to change the subject.

"What about brothers or sisters?" she asked.

"Leave. It. Alone." Shayla fell silent as so many questions raised. What was the big deal asking about his family? Had something happened? Was it a family secret that was embarrassing? Or was it just something he didn't like to talk about? Like how her own father committed suicide. The only person on the planet who knew how she felt about that was her therapist. She hated talking about it to anyone else. Hell, she didn't even like talking about it to her therapist, but that ass hole always managed to drag that kind of shit out of her.

The weed she had smoked finally decided to take over and she drifted off into a light sleep.

Shayla had just began to snore when Happy's phone buzzed in his pocket. Shayla snorted a little whenever he tried to move around so he could dig his phone out of his pocket, but she didn't wake up. He flipped his phone open to see a message from Lee.

_Clubhouse. Now._

Was all the message said. He looked down to Shayla. He knew what he had said to her about her not leaving his sight under no circumstances, but did he really need to bring her with him? Was there something going on that she didn't need to know about? She seemed to have handled the fact that there was someone dead now because of Travis, but that still didn't mean anything. Maybe it didn't sink on what had been said to her.

He thought back to when she had brushed her fingers across the Men of Mayhem patch. She seemed to know what it meant. Her brother, Clay, Tig, and a few others from SAMCRO had the patch. Maybe they told her.

Travis knew where Shayla lived. He had been there the night she had arrived. If Happy left her behind and something happened to her because of Travis, he wasn't sure what he would do. It was his job to protect her, to look out for her. He reached down and pushed her hair away from her face.

"Wake up," he said loud enough to make her stir. She opened her eyes slowly then looked up at Happy. Her eyes were all bleary from sleep. "Lee texted. We need to get to the clubhouse." Shayla sat up quickly. All sleep was now gone from her eyes.

"Is everything okay? Do you think it's a good idea that I go with you?" she asked as Happy sat up with her.

"You're not to leave my sight, remember?" Happy stated as he stood from the couch. Shayla frowned as she sat right on the couch. She fell quiet for a moment. Happy watched her as she appeared to sort through everything in her head. She finally looked to Happy worryful eyes.

"I'm in danger, aren't I?" she asked as she rang her fingers together. Happy sighed as he sat next to her. He leaned forward so he could rest his elbows on his knees. He laced his fingers together and looked down to his feet.

"We're not sure, but we don't want to risk it. As long as you're with me, you don't have anything to worry about." Shayla grinned at him as some of the worry in her eyes subsided. She leaned over and rested her head on his shoulder.

"I don't know if it means anything to you, Hap, but I'm really glad Tig chose you to look after me," she said. Happy hummed as he stood from the couch.

"Get ready if you need to. We need to get to the clubhouse. I'll follow behind you on my bike," he commanded. Shayla nodded then made her way into her room so she could change out of the pajamas that she had put on as soon as they got back to her house.

When they finally made it to the clubhouse, Shayla could feel the tension amongst the members. She was weary of them all as she walked passed them and made her way to the bar with Happy. She wondered which ones were dealing in the club along with Kozik. She knew that Lee was clean, but who else was? How deep did it go? She stayed close to Happy. She had never felt so vulnerable amongst the crowds that was the Sons of Anarchy. She didn't think it possible. And, yet, here she was wondering if any of them were going to grab her and use her as leverage.

She ordered herself a beer so she could calm her nerves a little. All she wanted to do was disappear. She had brought some of her homework that she needed to get caught up on since she had missed a week of school. Her professors had emailed her the work they were supposed to do so she could do it.

"I need a quiet place to do my homework," she said up to Happy. Happy stared down at her with a grin. It was like he knew something that she didn't. Like she was apart of some inside joke that she wasn't aware of.

"I'll take you back to the dorm in a bit," he said as he leaned against the bar. Shayla sighed. She ran her fingers through her hair. She was taking an algebra class so she could get her math credit for the year. Missing a couple days of her math class put her way behind and she was going to be working for days trying to get caught back up.

Sure algebra was an easy math for her, but it still didn't change the fact that the math problems she was working in took time to solve. And there were so, so many of them.

"I really need to start working on this now, Hap. If I don't get this done then I'm going to be trading sexual favors for A's and I don't think you'd like that too much," she said as she sipped at her beer.

"Honestly, I don't think I would either," a familiar voice said behind her. She spun in her stool to come face to face with her brother's blue eyes and crooked smile.

"I don't think I would mind it too much," Opie said standing next to him. Shayla felt her jaw hit the ground. Her heart was doing jumping jacks in her chest. Excitement rushed through her.

"Surprise," Jax said opening his arms up to her. Shayla leapt out of her seat and threw her arms around Jax's waist. She buried her head in his chest and squeezed him as tight as she could. She felt his lips on top of her head as he wrapped her up in his arms. She pulled away from him then went to Opie so she could hold him too.

"Hey, Kiddo," Opie said as he patted her on the back of the head. Opie wasn't much on the lovie dovie shit unless it was Donna so Shayla didn't hold him for too long.

"What the hell are you guys doing here?" she asked as she looked between the two.

"Have some business to take care of," Jax said with a shrug. He reached out and wrapped an arm around Shayla's neck then put her in a headlock. "Plus, I was missing my little sister." Shayla squealed as she tried to wrestle away from him. He finally released her and she stepped away. She ran her fingers through her hair so she could fix it up a little.

"Is it just you two?" she asked. Jax shrugged.

"For now. Ran into some trouble in Oregon with Tig," Opie said with a shake of his head. He had his arms crossed over his chest making him appear bigger than he already was. Shayla felt her heart drop into her feet.

"What happened?" she asked.

"We stopped at one of the clubhouses we got in Oregon to rest up a bit before we came the rest of the way here. Tig got his hands on some shrooms that did him wrong. Cops found him naked in the back of a cow trailer. Got him for indecent exposure," Opie told her as he sat down on a stool. Shayla just stared at Opie for a moment before she looked to Happy.

"Why am I not surprised?" she asked him and Happy shrugged. Shayla frowned as a thought crossed her mind. She looked back to Opie. "He wasn't like… fucking… the cows… was he?"

"Do you really want to know the answer to that?" Jax asked as he took Shayla's seat with a huff. Shayla thought for a moment.

"No, I really don't," she said as she slid next to Happy. A Prospect had placed a shot glass in front of Happy and was getting ready to pour him a shot, but Shayla reached out and grabbed the bottle from him. She shooed the Prospect away and poured Happy the shot herself. Jax and Opie exchanged a grin with each other at the motion. Happy took the shot and placed it near the bottle so Shayla could pour him another.

Happy sat sideways so Shayla stood between his legs. She leaned against his thigh though most of her weight was still on her legs. She glanced at Jax who was grinning at the pair expectantly.

"What?" she asked. She knew that no one in Charming knew that her and Happy were now dating since it had just happened not even twenty four hours before. They had a busy time since then. She was certain that they knew that there was something going on between the two of them solely for the fact that the boys in the club liked to gossip more than the Sweet Butts.

"Nothin'," Jax said with that crooked smile. "Just wondering if I need to give Hap the "Big Brother Speech" now or later." Opie chuckled on the other side of Jax while Shayla ran her hand over her face.

"Wow, really?" she asked as she grabbed her beer from behind Jax. Jax shrugged in a mocking manner.

"If you keep it short, you can do it now," Happy said as he took the shot Shayla just poured for him. Shayla glared at Happy. He didn't need to entertain that shit. Shayla was a grown ass woman. She didn't need her brother threatening whoever she was in a relationship with. Opie and Jax cackled as Jax leaned a little closer to the two. He pointed his finger at Happy.

"You break her heart, I break you," he threatened with a grin, but Shayla could still hear the truth behind his words. Happy smirked as Shayla poured him one more shot.

"Are you done?" Shayla asked her brother as she sat the bottle back on the bar.

"Yeah, for now," he answered as he lit a cigarette. "So how's life been treating you here?" Shayla shrugged and they fell into light banter.

Shayla took a sip of her beer as she looked over the math problem she was currently working on. She ran the equation through her calculator, but either she got the problem wrong, or the calculator was wrong. She looked over the problem again as she attempted to figure out where she had went wrong, but everything still looked right to her. Algebra was supposed to be easy. It was easy for her in high school. She passed the class with a B.

She ran her hands over her face a couple times then took another sip of her beer. She put the equation back into the calculator making sure that she input everything correctly, but the numbers still didn't match. She groaned as she let her head fall forward. She had already been working on her make up work for the past two and a half hours. She sat alone in the corner as Sweet Butts made sure she always had a beer or food.

Happy, Jax, and Opie were playing a game of cutthroat at the pool tables chatting away about something Shayla couldn't make out. Nor did she care. She was too busy contemplating whether or not she should risk burning her school down to avoid her classes.

"You havin' some problems?" a voice said near her. She looked up to see Travis standing near her table. An electric shock shot through her system and she forced back the urge to swallow. She had to play it off like she didn't know anything. She was surprised to see him walking around the clubhouse, but maybe it was just to keep a close eye on her. She hadn't realized he was even around until just then. Maybe one of the members that was dealing gave him a call to give him a heads up.

Shayla looked back down to her book so she could break eye contact.

"Yeah, the numbers aren't matching up with the calculator and I'm not seeing where I went wrong," she said hoping her voice didn't sound too shaky. Travis hummed as he pulled out the chair next to her so he could take a seat. He slid her book in front of him so he could look it over, then he grabbed the paper.

He looked over her problem carefully. Shayla risked glancing over to Happy who was watching them from the corner of his eye. He didn't look all that worried about Travis being close to her. He'd have to be crazy with Jax, Opie, and himself at her back.

"You don't belong here," Travis said as he looked over her work. Shayla narrowed her eyes at him. "I don't care who you are or whose ballsack you were squirted from. You never paid your dues. You just came waltzing in like you owned the joint and pussy whipped Happy. You never entertained any of the other men. You haven't done anything for this club."

Anger started bubbling up inside of Shayla. It was getting hard for her to hold her tongue. She had to show Travis respect just because he was still the President, but hopefully that wasn't going to last much longer.

"I've done more for this club than you could imagine, Travis. I belong here more so than those methed out whores you got runnin' around," she argued with him. He had no idea how she had suffered for the club. How much pain she had went through. She had paid her dues.

"Those whores are paying their dues. So what if they're a little fucked up," Travis said as he placed her paper in front of her. He pointed to a problem half way down the formula she was using.

"That's wrong," he said then took his finger away. He leaned back in his chair a little while Shayla looked at the problem where he had pointed. Sure enough, she had put the wrong number down.

"You may think Happy cares about you, but he doesn't. You're nothing more than a means to an end. He'll grow bored of you eventually, then you'll be nothing more than a Sweet Butt where you belong. Nothing more, nothing less." He paused while Shayla started erasing her work so she could fix the problem.

"The best thing for you at this point, is to just go back to Charming and pretend you never came to Tacoma in the first place. I would really hate for something bad to happen to you."

Shayla paused her erasing and glanced over to Travis. She grew nervous, but she couldn't let him see that.

"Are you threatening me?" she asked as bravely as she could muster.

"Take it how you want. But you're not even going to be able to finish school if you can't even do simple algebra." Travis stood up from his chair. "But think about it, Shayla. You don't belong here. You never will."

"I'm not going anywhere. You might as well just get used to having me around," Shayla said confidently. "And as for that shit about Happy not caring about me, we both know that you're full of shit on that."

"I'm surprised he hasn't kicked your little ass to the curb. But mark my words, he will get bored with you eventually. Then you will be left all alone in big, scary Tacoma."

"Everything alright over here?" Opie asked as he approached the table. Shayla nodded as she got back to working on her homework.

"Oh yeah, everything is fine," Travis said as he stood from his chair. He patted Shayla on the shoulder a couple times. Shayla cringed under his touch. "Our little girl here was having some trouble with her homework."

Opie eyed Travis cautiously. Opie took a drink from his beer.

"C'mon, Kiddo, you've been doing that shit for a while. Take a break," he said as he motioned for her to stand. It sounded like an innocent request and she wondered if he knew what was going on in the club at the moment. She took the opportunity to shut her notebook and shoved it in her backpack. She grabbed her beer and stood from the table.

"Yeah, a break sounds wonderful right now," she said as she walked to Opie. Opie waited for her to walk passed him before he turned to follow her back to the pool table. She tossed her backpack up on the bar then stretched out her limbs a little. Jax poked her in the stomach with the butt of his cue stick. Shayla glared at her brother. She snatched up Happy's cue stick and held it like a bo staff as she faced her brother.

Jax held his cue stick the same way as the two circled each other. They both had playful grins as they circled.

"Where's my Princess?" Shayla heard Tig say as he entered the clubhouse. Shayla gasped as she looked over her shoulder at said biker. He stood there with that shit eating smile that she missed so much. She turned and shoved Happy's cue stick back in his hands then darted for Tig.

"Tigger!" she squealed as she leapt into his arms. She wrapped her legs around his waist. Tig groaned as he wrapped his arms around her as tight as he could get. Shayla kissed his face all over while he nuzzled against her. Shayla leaned back enough to where she could look him in the eye. They stared into each other's eyes with big smiles for a moment before they nuzzled into each other's faces.

"I missed you so fucking much," Tig whispered. Shayla giggled.

"I missed you more," she whispered back to him.

"I guess we're just chopped liver," Shayla heard the deep voice of Clay say behind Tig. Shayla looked over Tig's shoulder to see Clay, Chibs, and her favorite Prospect Juice standing there.

"Nah," Chibs said with a grin. "Some people actually like liver."

She jumped off Tig so she could speed around him and hug Clay. Clay wrapped her up in a warm hug.

"Hey, baby girl," Clay said as he pressed his lips to the top of her head.

"Hi, daddy," she said as she pulled away from him. Clay patted her cheek gently before she turned to Chibs to hug him. Chibs picked her up and spun her around before squeezing her against him for a moment.

"How's my little Shillelagh?" he asked as he pulled away from her. Shayla smiled at him.

"So much better now that I get to see you," she said with a smile. Chibs chuckled then kissed her forehead. Shayla glanced at Juice out of the corner of her eye, then frowned. Juice just watched her.

"Prospect," she greeted seeming to be disgusted by his presence. He nodded back to her in greeting. It didn't take long before the two of them wasn't able to keep their smiles hidden. They hugged each other quickly as they laughed. Shayla always pretended not to like the Prospect, but he was just so impossible to hate. He just had a couple more months before he was going to be patched in fully to the club and she couldn't wait for it.


	25. Chapter 25

Shayla sat at a table with Clay, Chibs, and Happy while the others were being entertained by the Tacoma Sweet Butts. Shayla had her homework sprawled out in front of her as she tried to work on it a little more. Her eyes were starting to hurt from staring at the numbers for so long. She was almost certain that she was going to have nightmares that night of numbers and little kids asking why six was afraid of seven chasing after her.

Travis had disappeared after they had their little talk. Happy had managed to pull her off to the side alone for a moment. He had asked her what Travis had said to her while he was with her. She had told him how he had threatened her indirectly, but had left out where he had said Happy didn't care about her. She knew that Travis was trying to get under her skin and push her away from the club and, more importantly, away from Happy. It would leave her exposed. Maybe Kozik did tell him that he had told her everything.

Happy had requested that she not tell her family about it just yet so it could be brought to the table whenever they brought everyone in and she had agreed. If they had found out that he had threatened her, there was no way that all of them were going to take it in stride. She knew one of them would lose their cool. The situation at hand had to be handled delicately. Sometimes the SAMCRO boys forgot what that meant. Especially when it came to her.

"How's your training been coming along?" Chibs asked as he lit up a cigarette. Shayla glanced at Happy out of the corner of her eye then continued doing her homework.

"It's not," she answered without making eye contact.

"What do you mean? I told Kozy to start training you," Chibs asked sounding frustrated.

"He only got to train me for one day. I got sick immediately after. I've only been back on my feet fully for a day," she said. She laid her pencil down on the table and dug her fingers in her eyes. Her eyes felt like they had hundred pound weights hanging off them. "Why do you think I'm doing so much math?"

"I was thinking it was because it's college," Clay said rolling some of the ash that had accumulated at the end of his cigar into an ashtray. Shayla snorted as she picked up her pencil again so she could start working on the next part of the problem.

"I mean, it is," she said. "But I missed some school because I was sick, now I'm behind and trying to catch up."

"Why are you even taking algebra? Didn't you do that shite already?" Chibs asked as he lifted her text book up. She slapped it back down on the table glaring at the Scotsman across from her.

"I did, but I didn't make a high enough grade to test out apparently. So I'm going to try again just before midterms so I don't have to come back next year and redo math I genuinely thought I was pretty good at once upon a time," Shayla complained as she flung her hands dramatically up in the air. The pencil she was using flew from her hand behind her somewhere.

"It has been four years since you've been in school," Clay said coolly as if she just didn't throw a mini tantrum. Shayla paused for a moment as she took in his statement.

"Holy shit it has," she said completely shocked. Chibs laughed as he smashed out his cigarette.

"Well, if it makes you feel any better, we brought the Prospect along so he can be your bitch," Chibs told her. Happy grinned as Shayla perked up a little.

"I love it when Prospects are my bitch," she said happily. Clay chuckled.

"Yeah, well, he's going to be helping you with your school work while we get you all trained up for softball this year," Chibs said as he sipped his beer. Shayla gave him a strange look as she stood from her chair to get her pencil.

"Why are you so worried about my training?" she asked as she scanned the floor for her pencil.

"You're not gonna like it," Clay said as he put his cigar up to his lips. Shayla spotted the writing utensil and walked over to it. She didn't seem all that worried about it. She grabbed her pencil and walked back over to the table. "Kelley is out of jail." Shayla paused just as she went to sit back in her chair. Shayla's face twisted in anger. "Charming P.D. put her on as janitorial and she's on the roster."

Shayla's pencil snapped in half in her grip.

"What the fuck do you mean Charming P.D.?" she asked with a raised voice. The loudness caught the attention of her brother who was over at the bar with a Sweet Butt in his lap. He pushed the woman off him and walked away without as much as a passing glance. Happy watched her curiously. Shayla growled as she closed her eyes tight. Her fists were closed as tight as she could get them.

Jax stood in front of her suddenly.

"C'mon, Shay, you need to breathe," he said softly. Shayla took a deep breath to calm her nerves a little, but all it did was add fuel the already raging fire inside Shayla's stomach. She turned suddenly and grabbed the chair she was sitting in. She flung the chair across the room.

"That bitch cost me my scholarship!" she yelled then acted like she wanted to walk away to destroy something else. Jax followed after her.

"Hey, hey!" Jax reached out for her, but he stopped when Happy's hand suddenly reached out and grabbed her hand. Shayla stopped walking and looked over at him. She looked down at his fingers wrapped around her fist. Jax paused as he watched the scene unfold in front of him. Shayla's hand started to relax a little so she could grab his hand back. She squeezed it tight and slid her eyes up to lock with his. She took a deep breath as she slid her eyes closed.

Happy just watched her out of the corner of his eye. He waited for her to calm down patiently. Shayla took slow, calming breaths. Her demeanour slowly became relaxed. With one final breath she turned away from Happy and her hand slid from his grasp. Jax looked to Chibs and Clay to see if they saw what he had.

Shayla walked over to the chair she had knocked over to pick it up. She sat it right on the ground then slid it over to the table. Jax grabbed the chair and pulled it around to where he could sit in it.

"Thanks for grabbin' that for me," Jax said as he sat down in it. Shayla put her hands on her hips as she glared down at her older brother.

"I have work to do, Jackson," she hissed at him. Jax plucked one of his cigarettes out of its pack and popped it in his mouth.

"You're done with that shit for the night," he told her then lit the cigarette. Shayla rolled her eyes.

"I have a lot to catch up on," she complained.

"You have until Thursday to get caught up. This shit will be here tomorrow. Now relax and have a beer," Jax said as he closed her books and slid them away from him. Shayla sighed as she rubbed her temple. She wasn't really in the mood for arguing with her brother.

So, instead of arguing, she took up residence on Happy's lap. She felt his hand slide up under her shirt so he could rest his hand on her waist. Shayla reached out to grab her beer, but Chibs slapped her hand away. Shayla glared at the Scotsman.

"What the hell Chibs?" she snapped as she reached for her beer again. Chibs slapped at her hand then pointed a demanding finger her way.

"No booze while you're trainin', young lady. That stuff makes you slow and we can't be havin' that," he said and Shayla groaned.

"You do realize that I'm just gonna start drinking again once you leave, right?" Shayla asked as she crossed her arms.

"That's why we got Kozy lookin' out for ya," Clay countered. Shayla frowned as she looked away from him. Happy's hand gripped at her waist. Apparently, the motion went unnoticed by the SAMCRO members at the table.

She wanted to tell them about Kozik and what he had done. Keeping it from them made it seem like she was betraying them in some way. She kept in mind of Happy's words to her. They were bringing it to the table, whenever that was going to happen. She huffed as she leaned back against Happy a little.

"Yeah, well, he's not a very good trainer. He had me so worn out the first day he trained me, I fell off the machine," she said. Chibs laughed as he leaned back in his chair.

Lee caught Shayla's eye as he entered the clubhouse. She grinned at the VP as he approached the table.

"Hope you guys had a good ride in," he greeted as he stood near the table. Clay shrugged.

"Would have been a lot better if Tig wouldn't have gotten his hands on some bad shrooms," he said as he stood. The two men hugged each other in greeting.

Lee chuckled as he looked over at Tig who had a Sweet Butt in his lap grinding away. Lee shifted his gaze to Shayla.

"Give us a minute," he demanded. Shayla nodded as she stood from Happy's lap. Lee patted her shoulder affectionately. Shayla reached down to grab her math book, but Jax slammed his hand down on it and glared up at her.

"I was just gonna put it back in my bag!" she hissed at her brother.

"Nope," he said with a quick shake of his head. Shayla huffed as she walked behind Happy running her fingers across the back of his neck as she did. She made her way over to the SAMCRO boys at the bar. Tig pushed the Sweet Butt off his lap upon seeing Lee arrive and walked over to the table so they could talk.

"We're trying to find Travis," Lee said once Shayla was out of earshot. Clay gave his cigar a disapproving puff.

"We've had some developments since we last talked," Lee continued.

"Shayla's involved," Happy added as he picked up his beer to sip. The SAMCRO boys all exchanged quick glances. A mixture of emotions passed between them all; worry, anger, and protectiveness.

Lee pulled up a chair while Jax and Happy spread apart to give him room. Clay and the others waited for him to get comfortable.

"You guys know what it's been like here. We've been trying to keep the drugs off our streets, but they keep finding their way here. We've reached out to other surrounding clubs, but they have been trying to keep the drugs off the streets as well. They deal in pharmaceuticals and H, but nothing else," Lee stated.

"It wasn't until recently that it was brought to my attention that our whores were on the shit too. We managed to get a name from one of them and we hunted the guy down," Lee continued. He paused when Shayla's scream and a thud filled their ears. Everyone tensed at the sound as all eyes found her.

By the bar, Opie had thrown her in the floor and forced her to lie on her stomach. Opie sat in the middle of her back coolly while he smoked a cigarette while Shayla flailed beneath him. Opie gave a quick wave to the table as if nothing was going on. Clay gave Jax a bored look before turning his attention back to Lee telling him to continue.

"There was a shootout whenever we got him. Titan was hit, but it was nothing serious," Lee said still eyeing Opie and Shayla while Opie subdued her.

"I tried to get him to talk, but Travis killed him before I was able to get anything good," Happy said. "Travis said he had threatened his family so he shot him."

"What were you able to get?" Clay asked Happy.

"An alias. Tiki." The SAMCRO boys soaked in the information slowly and stored the name away.

"I'm still missing how Shayla is involved in this shit?" Tig asked defensively. Happy glared at him. He knew how Tig was with Shayla, but the accusation in his voice told Happy that Tig was regretting the choice in Happy. Like he wasn't capable of taking care of Shayla.

"I had to make a run to SAMCHI," Happy said. "Left Kozik behind to watch over Shayla." Happy and Lee exchanged a quick look. "We had our suspicions of Kozik using again, but nothing solid. We got our confirmation when he stole Shayla's money and disappeared."

"I'm going to fucking kill him!" Tig snarled loudly.

"Hey!" Clay snapped bringing his SAA back to attention. "Kozik will get his." He pointed to Happy. "Keep talking."

"We didn't know where he was until we got the call saying he OD'd and was taken to St. Joe's sometime this morning." Happy took a sip of his beer. "Travis acted out in the waiting room bad enough to get everyone kicked out. They wouldn't even let us back to see him. Shayla went in alone and got back to see him. He told her everything," Happy finished. He looked to Lee so Lee could take over.

"This is why I wanted to meet informally," Lee said sounding a little disgusted. "Kozik said that it's been Travis supplying the meth within the club to other members so they can sell it. We haven't figured out who yet, so there's really no one we can trust right now."

SAMCRO took another moment to let the information sink in.

"Fuck," Jax said as he ran his hand over his face.

"I agree," Chibs said staring at his beer like he suddenly needed something stronger. "This isn't good."

"This could bring SAMTAC to its knees," Tig said looking down at Clay. Clay gave his cigar one last puff before he started patting it out slowly in the ashtray.

"That's not gonna happen. SAMTAC is too important," he started then looked to Happy. "Does Travis know that Kozik told her everything?"

"He threatened her tonight," Happy told him. "Told her things trying to get her to back away from the club." Clay snorted.

"Like that could ever happen," he retorted.

"Doesn't change the fact that he threatened her, Clay," Jax said eyeing his step father. "Or that Kozik robbed her fucking blind." Clay held his hand out to stop him.

"And they're going to get theirs. But as it currently sits, our only lead is Travis who is in the wind right now. So until then, Jax, I want you to bring Ope and the Prospect into the loop. Tig, I want you to chill the fuck out about the Kozik situation. Lee, keep searching for Travis and let us know when you find him. I'm going to go spend time with my little girl." Clay hit his fist on the table since he didn't have a gavel.

Happy slid from his chair and grabbed his now empty bottle of beer. As he approached the bar, Opie grabbed the Prospect then forced his head against the bar. Shayla was sitting cross legged on the bar holding up a marker. Opie leaned on the Prospect to keep him from moving while Shayla leaned forward and started drawing something on his face.

Happy tossed his beer in the trash can while he made his way behind the bar to grab another drink. The Prospect started screaming while he squirmed in Opie's hold. Opie pressed harder.

"The more you fight the more it's gonna hurt," Opie informed him while Shayla continued to draw. Happy bent behind the bar so he could grab himself another beer. He stood next to Shayla unable to see what she was drawing on his face. She leaned back and held her hands in the air.

"Done!" she exclaimed. Opie released the Prospect and Happy grinned while he shook his head. She had drawn a dick on his forehead. An oddly detailed one at that. It had veins, pubes, a prominent head. Shayla looked to Happy with a grin.

"What do you think?" she asked. Happy shrugged the question off.

"What did you do to the Prospect?" Clay asked as he stood on the other side of Shayla. Shayla crossed her arms over her chest proudly.

"I turned him into a dickhead," she stated with a smile. Juice just pouted letting everyone get their laughs in. Jax walked up to them, then looked at Juice with an amused look. His eyes stared at the dick for a moment before his gaze fell to his eyes.

"What's up, dickhead?" he asked. Shayla cackled at her brother's comment. She turned to where her legs were dangling off behind the bar. She leaned forward a little so she could see where the beer was stashed.

She reached down and grabbed a bottle for herself. She cracked it open with a swift movement then put the bottle to her lips only for it to be slapped out of her hand before she could even taste it. The bottle landed behind the bar with a loud clank. Beer spewed everywhere. Happy jumped away from the bottle so it didn't get all over his pants. Shayla glared at the Scotsman.

"You just wasted a beer!" she yelled at him. Chibs pointed a finger at her.

"And I will continue doing that as long as you're holding it," he said. He dug in his pocket and pulled out a pack of cigarettes. He pulled one out and popped it in his mouth. Shayla leaned over and watched as the last of the beer spilled out onto the floor with a sigh.

"You made a fucking mess," Happy grumbled as he glared at the man across the bar from him. Chibs shrugged as he pulled off his cigarette.

"Shayla clean that up," Chibs commanded as he took a quick look around the clubhouse. Shayla huffed as she slid off the bar careful of the brew below her. She went to move around Happy so she could locate the mop and bucket. Happy's hand shot out in Shayla's path. She looked up at him curiously to find him staring Chibs down. Chibs either wasn't aware of the hole that was currently burning into his head, or he was simply just ignoring it.

"No," he growled. "_You_ clean it up." Shayla's eyes went wide so fast that her eyes nearly popped right out of their sockets. She glanced to Clay whose brow was raised in shock. His gaze shifted to Chibs. Chibs stood from his stool and faced Happy. The look on his face looked like someone had just bitch slapped him.

"Who the fuck doya think yer talkin' to, _boy?_" Chibs asked in a dark tone. Happy leaned forward a little and placed his palms on the bar. Shayla wanted to step in, but she couldn't move. She took a breath when she realized that she wasn't breathing.

"I'm talking to you," Happy said coolly. "_You_ made the mess. _You_ clean it up." Happy bent behind the bar and brought out another beer. He opened it and set it in front of Shayla. "If she wants to drink, she can drink." Shayla looked down at the beer for a moment before lifting her eyes to look at Clay. Clay eyed her from his periphery then nodded his head barely enough for her to see. She reached out and wrapped her fingers around the cool beverage, but didn't take a drink.

Chibs went to say something back, but Clay caught their attention by barking out a loud, "Hey!" Shayla felt her body tense up even more as she swore she started having flashbacks. The only time Clay had used that kind of tone around her was when it was directed at her. It was kind of weird being the one on the outside looking in.

"Go find a mop to clean that shit up. The floors are gonna get sticky," Clay said back to his normal, laid back self. Chibs gaped at him. He went to protest, but the cold, hard stare unique to Clay Morrow stopped him before he got his first syllable out. Chibs cursed under his breath then walked away in search of the mop.

"What was all that about?" Tig asked as he stepped in behind the bar. He was sure to step in the beer and spread it around as much as he could. He pretended that he didn't see it, and maybe he really didn't, but Shayla knew better than that.

Her Tigger was such an ass.

"Boys being boys," Clay said ignoring the ass holery of his right hand man.

"He's lying," Shayla said as she took a sip of her beer.

"Oh yeah?" Tig said as he looked down at her. Shayla hummed.

"Yeah, we were talking about all the STDs you got since I've not been in Charming," she said looking up at him. Tig clicked his tongue at her.

"You are an STD," Tig countered as he grabbed a bottle of whiskey so he could take a shot. Shayla snorted at him as she brought her beer to her lips once more.

"If that's the case then this is an STD you're never gonna get," she teased as she motioned to her body. Clay and Happy laughed.


	26. Chapter 26

Clay ended up ordering pizza for everyone since it would seem they were spending the night in the SAMTAC clubhouse since Shayla didn't have enough room for everyone at her place. Shayla sat at the bar working on some more of her homework. She was working on an assignment for her Desktop Publishing class. Whatever the hell that was. She was getting tired again, Happy could tell. She munched on a pepperoni as she stared at her laptop screen.

Jax sat next to her as they idly chit chatted about something. Whatever it was, it was frustrating Shayla because she kept waving her hands towards her computer screen, then face palming whenever Jax responded to her.

Happy leaned back on the couch and put his hands behind his head. Shit he was bored. He hated waiting around. He needed to be out there searching right along with Lee, but Lee said the fewer people searching would be better. It would keep Travis's suspicions low. He was already suspicious of Shayla's entrance into the hospital and that was already too much.

Happy hated to agree, but Shayla was now a potential target. All of the SAMTAC members were gone except for Happy. Jax sat with Shayla. Opie and Chibs were off torturing the Prospect. Tig and Clay sat with him. They had fallen into a comfortable silence with each other just like the trio usually did. But the silence didn't last long.

"So, you and my little girl, huh?" Clay mentioned as he watched his two children start arguing since Jax wouldn't leave Shayla's computer alone.

"Yep," Happy confirmed keeping his head leaned back. Clay fell quiet again, but the tension was rising from his direction. Happy could feel it. He opened his eyes and looked over at Clay. His face was twisted in what seemed to be not very pleasant thoughts.

"What?" Happy asked even though he already partially knew what was on Clay's mind.

"It's just - and no offense - I know how you are, especially with women," Clay reasoned as he brought his cigar up to his lips to puff. "And I can't help but think that you're treating her like you do all the others, but I know that's not the case." Clay paused for a moment while he placed his cigar in the ashtray resting on the chair's arm. "Because if you did, your balls would be hanging around her neck like a trophy." Tig laughed while Happy smirked.

"I'm taking care of her, Clay," Happy promised the SAMCRO president.

"Oh, I'm sure you are," Tig said wiggling his eyebrows at the Enforcer stretched out near him. Happy rolled his eyes and huffed. Clay glared at his SAA.

"Like I really needed that mental picture," he mentioned. Happy leaned his head back on the couch and stared up at the ceiling once more. Joke was on Tig. Happy and Shayla weren't even fucking yet. Happy wanted to let out a groan in frustration, but he resisted the urge. He had fucked that Sweet Butt over in Chicago, but her pussy was so used up, Happy had to work extra hard to get himself to cum.

He knew once he was balls deep in Shayla that it wouldn't take him long to cum at all. It was going to be like he was a teenager again. At least, that's what his imagination told him.

"What the fuck are you doing, Jax?" Shayla yelled from the bar. Happy opened his eyes and looked to the siblings.

"You're done with your homework," Jax said as he picked up her laptop.

"No, I'm not! I still have a lot to do!" she yelled as she tried to reach for it, but Jax, being much taller than her, just held it above his head. Their faces were twisted in frustration.

"I don't give a shit how much you gotta do, you're done!" he barked back as he pushed her away from him. Shayla tried to jump for her laptop again, but Jax just knocked her back.

"No, I'm not!" she yelled as she began to all but climb her brother.

"Ya know," Tig piped up. "If I didn't know any better, I would say those two are related." Clay scoffed with Happy.

"Come on, Jax!" Shayla yelled. "I didn't even get to save the work I've done!" She leapt for the laptop again, but Jax forced her away. Happy stood from his spot with a groan. He walked over to the still arguing siblings and pulled Shayla away from Jax. Shayla glared up at him.

"He won't let me finish my homework, Hap," she complained. Happy casually looked down at her then looked to Jax. Happy held his hand out to Jax in silent request for the laptop. Jax eyed him carefully then glanced at Clay for a split second. He handed her laptop over to Happy then glared at his little sister when he saw the triumphant smirk across her lips. Once Happy had the laptop in his grasp, Shayla held her hand out so he could place it in her hand.

The look on her face was absolutely priceless as Happy moved the laptop out of her reach. Happy held the laptop at his side then looked at Shayla.

"Jax is right. You're done," he said confidently. Shayla crossed her arms over her chest and glared at him. She opened her mouth to protest, but Happy turned away from her before she could even get a word out. Shayla hurried after Happy and tried to grab her laptop from him, but he turned on her as soon as her fingers touched the laptop. The glare he gave her was enough to send chills down her spine.

"Come on, Happy," she whined.

"You've been working on your homework all day. You can do more tomorrow," he told her as he walked over to the bar where her backpack sat. He sat the laptop on the bar so he could unzip her backpack.

"I won't have time tomorrow," she explained as she stepped in next to him. She laid her hand on her bag to stop him from putting her laptop in. "I have school then work tomorrow. That's just going to add to my homework." Happy eyed her for a moment as if he was considering her words.

"That's what they brought the Prospect for, remember?" Happy said as he pushed her hand away from the bag. Shayla pouted as Happy zipped her bag up. Happy picked up her bag then handed it to her. "You're done for the night." Shayla huffed as she flung her backpack over her shoulder.

"Fine, I need to get ready for bed anyways," she snapped. She held her hand out. "Give me the dorm key." Happy narrowed his eyes at her as he stepped closer to her. He grabbed her chin.

"Adjust your attitude before I do it for you," he demanded. Shayla smirked up at him. She wasn't intimidated by him at all.

"You'd like that wouldn't you?" she said in a low voice. Happy grinned down at her, but didn't answer her. Instead, he fished the key to his dorm out of his pocket and handed it to her. She reached for it, but instead of grabbing it, she twisted her fingers with his.

"You coming with me?" she asked. Happy raised an eyebrow at her.

"I wouldn't have it any other way," he said sensually. Shayla bit her lip and looked away from him to hide the fact that her cheeks went red. Happy wrapped his arm around her waist as he turned to put her at his side. Shayla adjusted the backpack on her shoulder a little and let out a yawn.

Shayla said goodnight to everyone then Happy led her down the hall to his dorm. Happy opened the door and allowed Shayla to enter first. She placed her backpack next to the bed then went to Happy's closet where she kept a few clothes that was left behind. She found some pajamas then made her way into his bathroom. There were a few toiletries that she kept in his bathroom.

She grinned as she grabbed her hairbrush. She was leaving her mark on his dorm just as he was leaving his on her home. They were slowly integrating their lives together and had been from day one. How she was completely blind to it was beyond her.

She brushed her hair, then her teeth. She dressed in her pajamas before stepping out into the dorm. Happy was already laying in bed beneath the covers. He wore no shirt just like he normally did. She walked over to her side of the bed and climbed inside. She slid close to him and rested her head on his chest. The smell of leather lingered on his skin, mixing with his natural musk that made her mouth a little wetter.

Happy had his arm wrapped around her. He ran the tips of his fingers over her clothes slowly.

"Who is Kelley?" Happy asked. Shayla instantly tensed her body as anger shot through her at the mere mention of her name. She lifted her head and rested her chin on him.

"The only reason why I played ball for school was for the scholarship. I've always wanted to go to school for graphic design, but school is expensive. There was no way mom and Clay was going to be able to pay for it even with the club and the shop. So I was pushing for a full ride. Kept my grades up. Practiced all the damned time so I could get better." She paused for a moment.

"Kelley played for our rival school. We were always going at it. Softball, baseball, football. Hell, even our mathletes. I had caught the interest in some recruiters who had been coming to see me play. UCLA made an offer. Full ride as long as I played for them. It was a dream come true." Shayla rested her cheek back against his chest and mindlessly traced the snake tattoo there.

"It was midseason, we were kicking ass just like always, but we were losing against Kelley's team. It was the bottom of the fifth. I was on third. We had two outs and three runs down. Kelley was the catcher. I tried to steal home. Pitcher throws it in, Kelley blocks, I slide." Shayla sat up and pushed the blanket down. She brought her right leg up then lifted her pant leg. She pointed to a scar about half way down the inside of her leg.

"She broke my tibia here." She moved her leg around to where Happy could see the other side of it and pointed to another scar that was close to her knee. "And she broke my fibula there." She pushed her pant leg back down. "UCLA saw me as a liability after that. Took back their offer."

Happy reached out and touched her ankle. He ran his hand up her leg slowly pushing up her pant leg again. Once it was up to her knee, he ran his hand back down and ran his fingers over her scars. He had noticed them whenever he was giving her the tattoo of The Kraken on the back of her leg, but didn't ask her about them. It was clear that it was surgery with the way the needle sized scars that lined the sides of the scars from where she had been stitched up. She had plates in her.

The breaks had ended her career before it had even started. But even with the break, she had managed to get into school so she could chase her dreams. Even if it did take her a couple of years to do manage it.

"She said it was an accident that she stomped me like that. She was just taking out my team's best player." Happy glanced up at her. He would have smarted off to her and her ego, but something was telling him that she was serious. She had a purpose to be playing. She had something that she was pushing for and softball was going to get her there. And just with a snap of a couple bones, it was all gone.

"Clay said she was out of jail. What was she in for?" he asked. Shayla smirked.

"It took me a couple of months, but I got my hands on a couple pounds of weed and stashed it in her car with a few of SAMCRO's guns. Quick autonomous tip to San Juaquin cops, an even quicker traffic stop, and boom. Bitch is gone," she said sounding very proud of herself. Happy sat up and leaned in close to her.

"You made her seem like a drug dealer," he said with a grin. Shayla shrugged innocently.

"She ruined my life. So I ruined hers," she said. Happy wrapped his hand around her leg and pulled her to where she could straddle him. He ran his hands up the back of her shirt. He buried his head in her chest. Shayla chuckled as she kissed the top of his head.

"You're the first person I ever told about that. Everyone that knows was involved." Shayla raised her hand and ran her fingers over the snake tattooed on his head. "I hope you know how to keep a secret, Mr. Lowman." Happy hummed as he nuzzled into her chest a little more and took a deep breath.

"Damn, you smell good," he murmured against her. Shayla shook her head a little as she continued to run her fingers over his tattoo.

"Well, I dropped a pepperoni there earlier," she said. Happy scoffed and lifted his head enough to meet her eyes. She kissed his lips gently.

"Did it hurt?" she asked eyeing her fingers that was tracing the snake on his head. Happy laid back on the bed and Shayla laid across him.

"Like hell," he admitted. She hummed as she looked down at the snake that twisted around on his torso.

"I imagine so," she said quietly as her fingers traced her fingers around the snake's head on his chest.

"I think I want another tattoo, but I'm not sure what or where," Shayla said as she sat up to straddle his waist again. Happy slid his hands up under her shirt and ran his thumbs over the nautical stars on her hips.

"I could do it," Happy offered. Shayla giggled as Happy's touch tickled her a little. She wiggled a little to loosen his grip a little, but all it did was make him tighten it. Shayla saw his eyes grow a little darker then she realized what she had done. She bit her lip as her cheeks pinkened.

"Honestly, with the way you fixed my Kraken tattoo, you're the only one I want putting tattoos on me," she said trying to keep the conversation going. "But it's going to be a while before that happens since I have to build my money back up." Happy frowned as an emotion flashed across his eyes that Shayla never seen before.

Regret.

"I shouldn't have left," Happy mumbled as his thumbs ran over her nautical stars again. Shayla couldn't help but wiggle a little at his touch. This time, however, Happy's eyes didn't darken at her movements. Shayla reached down and grabbed his hands. She moved them to where she could lace her fingers with his.

"You would have left even if we didn't get into that fight, Hap. Now, please, stop beating yourself up about it. It's freaking me out a little seeing you like this," she admitted. Happy gave her a curious look. "You're not the type of person to have regrets, babe." Happy hummed as he pushed Shayla's shirt up a little more so the cloth could rest on his hands a little more comfortably.

"I have plenty of regrets," Happy admitted. Shayla narrowed her eyes at him. She couldn't imagine Happy actually regretting anything. She had only known him for a short period of time, but she had never seen such a negative emotion on him. Never regret, or sadness, or anything along those lines.

"And what kind of regrets does someone like Happy Lowman have?" Shayla asked as she leaned forward again. She rested their hands on either side of his head. Happy stared at her for a moment.

"I regret going to Chicago," he answered and Shayla groaned.

"Oh come the fuck on," she said releasing his hands. She rested one hand on under her chin while she took her finger and tapped him lightly on the nose. Happy flinched out of instinct then frowned. "How are we supposed to grow as boyfriend and girlfriend if you don't tell me anything about you?" Happy reached behind him and pulled his pillow down a little so he could prop himself up a little more.

"When I was Prospecting here in Tacoma, there was a member who had taken me under his wing. He looked out for me. He made sure that I knew everything I needed to know when it came to the Sons of Anarchy. He corrected me when I was wrong and never once treated me like everyone else did. He showed me respect, so I returned it." Shayla rested her cheek against his chest while he spoke. "When I got my patch, he was so proud of me." Shayla smiled at the little sparkle that appeared in his eye. "He was more than just my mentor. He was my friend." He paused for a moment while he took a deep breath.

"He was caught in a bad storm and lost control of his bike. He was in a coma for three days before he gave up." Happy's eyes grew distant as if he was trying to hide the fact that he was upset over the memory of his friend.

"I never got the chance to thank him or tell him how much I appreciated everything he had done for me before and after I was patched in. If it wasn't for him, I wouldn't be who I am today when it comes to the Sons of Anarchy." Shayla reached out and placed a hand on his cheek. Happy looked at her as he came back to reality.

"What was his name?" she asked him.

"Isaac, but we called him Trucker." Shayla gave him a comforting smile as she ran her thumb across his cheek.

"I'm sure he knew how you felt, Hap. Even without you saying anything to him," she reassured him. Happy shrugged a little.

"How could he? I never told him." Shayla hummed as her fingers ran down her cheek to his neck.

"But I'm sure you showed him in ways that let him know. _Actions speak louder than words_," she said.

Happy studied her for a moment as if he was pondering her words. Happy thought back to all the times that he had spent with Trucker. All the things they had done with each other and for each other. He supposed that she could be right, Happy did show his appreciation for the man through his actions. Maybe he did know how Happy felt before he passed. There was no way that he would be able to know for sure, but Shayla's words gave him a little peace.

Happy's hand reached out to her and rested on the back of her head.

"Come here," he commanded and Shayla smiled as if she sensed his peace. He tugged on her a little to urge her along, but he didn't need to. She was already rising up so she could kiss him just like he wanted her to. He kissed her hard yet tender. Shayla's hands rested against his chest as all her weight bared down on top of him. Happy's hands gripped at her waist as he ground his hips up against her core.

Shayla gasped as she broke the kiss.

"Hap, wait," she said as she slid off him. Happy sat up so he could follow her, but he waited just as she said.

"What's wrong?" he inquired. Shayla sat on her knees and placed her closed fists against her thighs. She bit her lip hard and wouldn't look him in the eye. Happy hated it when she got like that. It was so unlike her. He reached out and placed his hand on her cheek to get her to look at him. She raised her eyes to meet his. "Talk to me."

"It's just…" She paused as she tried to work out how she wanted to go about it. "Look, Happy, I know you want to just like I do, but…" she paused again as her cheeks flushed and she lowered her gaze from him. "I'm not experienced like the Sweet Butts." Happy blinked a couple times before he busted out laughing. The glare that his outburst earned from Shayla went totally unnoticed by Happy since he was too busy trying to stay upright.

"I'm serious!" she whined as her face grew a couple shades of red darker. Happy held his hand out as he tried to calm himself enough to form words.

"Why are you so worried about it?" he asked, though there was still a laugh on his breath. Shayla clammed up on him again as she lowered her gaze.

"What if I can't please you like they can?" she asked in a quiet voice. Happy grinned at her.

"I was counting on it," he said honestly. Shayla was taken aback by his response for a moment then she smiled. She leaned forward so she could kiss his lips again. She moved around to where she could lie down on the bed and pulled Happy with her. Happy placed a hand on the bed beside her to keep him from crushing her, then placed his other on her hip. Shayla spread her legs so he could rest between them. Shayla rested her hands on his shoulders.

"Make love to me, Happy," Shayla whispered against his lips. Happy growled as he pressed himself against her. Shayla whimpered against his lips. Happy kissed her slow. He wanted to take his time with her. There was no reason to rush. He had all the time in the world for her. She wasn't a Sweet Butt. She wasn't someone that he could unclothe and sink into before they were even ready. It was for her just as much as it was for him.

Shayla didn't seem to mind it in the least while her fingers brushed against his skin. Happy's hand that rested on her hip pushed up under her shirt so he could push her shirt up. Shayla moved around so he could lift it up easier. He broke the kiss long enough to pull the shirt over her head with a little help from her. Happy knew she wasn't wearing a bra because of the way her tits looked when she walked out of the bathroom. Plus, she never wore a bra to bed unless she was too drunk to care.

Happy ran his hand up her body slowly so he could take in every inch of her body. He ran his hand over the skeletal tattoo on her side then brushed his fingers across the nautical stars. His had went up her stomach to just under her breasts. Shayla began to wiggle under his touch. Happy broke the kiss and smirked down at her. She stared up at him a little breathless.

A knock came to Happy's door drawing both of their attentions. Happy looked like he was ready to shoot whoever it was on the other side, it didn't matter who it was. Consequences be damned.

"We need Shayla out here," Chibs yelled from the other side of the door. Shayla and Happy exchanged curious glances. Why would they need Shayla? Happy slid off her then flopped on his back. He lifted his leg to hide the erection while Shayla crawled out of bed and began the search of her shirt.

Happy watched her as she looked around. The way she was sitting on the edge of the bed gave Happy a full view of her back. He couldn't help but feel a certain level of anger surround him at the sight of her scars. It was an anger that he had never felt before and the emotion confused him.

Shayla found her shirt and put it over her head as she stood from the bed. She walked to the door and glanced back at Happy to make sure his erection was hidden before she opened the door. Chibs was leaning against the threshold with a grin on his face. He glanced in at Happy and nodded his head in greeting.

"We got Travis's computer out here. It's password protected. Do ya think ya can hack it?" Chibs asked thankfully getting to the point immediately. Shayla faked a yawn.

"I've really got to get some rest, Chibs. Can't the Prospect do it?" she asked. Chibs shrugged his shoulder.

"One word: tequila," was his response. Shayla crossed her arms over her chest and clicked her tongue at him.

"Why do you do this to him? You know what tequila does to him," Shayla scolded.

"It's fun," Chibs said simply. Shayla rolled her eyes then looked back at Happy. He wasn't too thrilled and neither was Shayla. All she wanted to do was crawl back into bed and get naked with Happy, but it looked like it was going to have to wait.

"Give me a few minutes and I'll be out," Shayla said. Chibs nodded then pushed himself off the threshold.

"I'll let them know and sorry for interrupting," he said as he made his way back towards the main room. Shayla closed the door and turned back Happy. Happy was digging in his clothes hamper for the jeans he had been wearing earlier so he could change back into them.

"I'm going to have blue balls from hell," Happy mumbled as he walked into the bathroom to change. Shayla hummed.

"Me too, babe. Me too."


	27. Chapter 27

Shayla sat at the bar with her laptop and Travis's laptop. She was tense, frustrated. She fussed at Chibs and Opie for getting Juice drunk on tequila. The poor Prospect was going to be useless for at least three days now. She wasn't sure what it was about the drink that affected him that way, but he wasn't the same for days. It was hard saying where he had ended up, but most likely Chibs had carried him to one of the dorms so he could begin sleeping it off.

"So, what do you think, can you get by it?" Clay asked as he leaned against the bar next to her.

"Yeah, just gotta make sure my computer is okay since _someone_-" she glared at Jax, "turned my computer off while I still had programs running. After that, I'll just need to reset the administrative password on Travis's computer and we'll be in." Clay shrugged as he looked over to Happy who had just walked into the main room. He looked to be even more frustrated than what Shayla did.

Clay knew he was possibly interrupting something when he had sent Chibs back, but they were short on time and the longer Travis wasn't found, the farther away he was getting from their reach. Travis couldn't slip through their fingers. Not when they were so close to Tiki. Happy sat next to Shayla while Opie slid a beer to him. Shayla watched as he chugged half the bottle before he placed it back on the bar.

It was then that Clay knew that he had definitely interrupted something. He really didn't want to think about what the two were doing back in the dorms, Shayla being his step daughter, but she was a grown woman and was more than capable to make her own decisions.

Damn he was getting old.

He wasn't really sure how he felt about Shayla and Happy being together. Happy was a good man, very loyal to the club, and one of Clay's most trusted members. But there was more to him than that. He was dangerous, violent, and the look in his eye that appeared whenever he was bringing pain on someone else was unnerving at best. He didn't want to think about Happy hurting Shayla because he knew better than that, but there was still that small whisper in the back of his head that said he would.

When Tig had told him that it would be Happy looking in on her while she stayed in Tacoma, Clay felt relieved. Having Happy in her corner would make her even more untouchable than what she was in Charming. Happy would see to that. He wouldn't have minded Kozik so much - at least at the time - but he knew there was no way that Tig was going to allow that because of that idiotic grudge that he had against him.

Tig had brought up the fact that Shayla had a thing for Happy and Happy returned the feeling and everyone brushed him off. There was no way that could happen. Happy didn't get "crushes". The only thing Happy crushed were bones. He wasn't going to believe Tig until he saw it with his own two eyes. Now, they were dating. Of all the patched members that Shayla had at her fingertips, she chose Happy. And Happy, it would seem, chose her.

Shayla's computer booted up and she checked the system to make sure everything was still in order, though Clay knew she just wanted to check on her work since Jax shut it off before she could save it. Shayla paused for a moment while the computer brought up the homework that she had been working on before Jax had taken her computer away.

"Jackson fucking Teller!" she snapped as she turned in her stool to glare at her brother. Jax looked at her with wide eyes. "You turned my fucking computer off without me saving my work and I've lost over an hour's worth of it! You fucking ass hole!" Shayla turned back to her computer and ran her hands over her face. She crossed her arms over each other on the bar then rested her head on them.

Clay rested his hand on her back as a way to comfort her. Shayla picked her head back up and stared at the assignment that she had pulled back up.

"It's not like I wasn't already having enough problems with this assignment," Shayla complained. "I mean, damn, how in the hell are you supposed to make a magazine cover about yourself?" Opie chuckled from the other side of the bar.

"Yeah, instead of Top Ten Ways to Please Your Man, you can put Top Ten Ways to Bash Someone's Face in with a Louisville Slugger," he commented. Shayla scoffed at him.

"Speaking of which, I'd like to try out at least four of those on my brother right now," she said glaring at her brother.

"Can it wait until after you get into Travis's computer?" Clay requested. Shayla rolled her eyes.

"Fine," she grumbled as she closed out the program she was using to do her homework. Clay watched her as she pulled up another program on her computer that would assist her in getting passed the password on Travis's computer.

It was clear that she was stressed. She had missed a week's worth of school and work. She wouldn't be getting a paycheck for another two weeks. She was worried about what was going on in the club and how it affected her directly. And rightfully so. Clay was worried about her too. He didn't want anything to befall her. He didn't want any harm to come to anyone. He never did. It was why he was so desperate to find Travis.

It wasn't good that she was so stressed out. Stress was never good for Shayla. It always brought back her nightmares. She was usually able to keep them under control, but he worried that there was not going to be any way around it this time. Happy hadn't brought it to their attention that she had any nightmares, but that didn't mean that she wasn't having them.

Clay felt a little bad about bringing Shayla back out to get into Travis's computer like he did. He knew she needed her rest. Shayla always had habits of working herself into the ground. Her working part time and going to school full time was stressful enough as it was.

He hated there wasn't anything he could do for her to lighten the load. He would buy her groceries and make sure she had enough money to make it to her next paycheck, but he was a little strapped for cash. He had paid for college where FAFSA didn't cover it for the semester and it had drained his bank account. He and Gemma was still trying to dig themselves out of the hole he had put them in so Shayla could go to school.

It wasn't always easy being a parent. But his kids were worth every sacrifice he made.

Shayla opened up her backpack and pulled out a small pouch that. She opened it up and pulled out a USB. Clay had no idea how Shayla and Juice did the things that they did when it came to computers, but they were handy to have around. Especially with the way that everything was going digital around them with every blink.

She inserted the USB in her laptop somewhere along the side of it. A window popped up on her screen letting her know that it had been inserted. Shayla clicked on an icon to pull up another window. This was usually where Shayla lost Clay. He was good wish machines, just not that kind of machine.

"What are you expecting to find on this computer, Clay?" Shayla asked him. Clay raised an eyebrow at her then scoffed. She only called him Clay whenever she was upset with him. Clay had pulled her away from Happy so she was angry with him.

"Anything really," Clay answered her. "As long as it leads us to Travis." Shayla shrugged.

"I'll get into his email and see if he has anything in there. Could check his bank statements too to see if he's left Tacoma," Shayla said even though her words weren't directed at anyone. "We can draw a map right to where he is." Clay grinned as he looked down at Shayla. Sometimes he hated the fact that she was a girl because she deserved to wear the Reaper just as much as anyone else did. Clay patted her shoulder.

"Let me know when you're in," Clay said then turned away from her. He walked over to Tig and Jax who were talking to each other in hushed tones. Clay looked over his shoulder Shayla just as she leaned her head on Happy's shoulder. The motion was odd. Shayla had never been very affectionate with her ex and Happy wasn't affectionate in general.

"She's stressed," Jax mentioned as he lit a cigarette. Clay nodded then looked to the older sibling. Jax had already turned his attention to Tig by that time. "Does Hap know about her night terrors?"

"I never told him, and I don't know if Shayla has or not," Tig said. Clay shrugged.

"We can only hope that she's taking her sleeping meds. They usually keep the night terrors away," he said, glancing back to Shayla. She had pulled whatever she needed off her computer and had moved to Travis's.

"She's been drinking so she hasn't been taking them. You know what it does to her when she mixes her meds and booze," Jax reasoned. Clay sighed then looked up to Tig.

"We're going to need to keep a close eye on her. See if we can find any signs of the night terrors because you know she will try to hide it," Clay said and Tig nodded.

"Clay, I'm in," Shayla called out. She had pulled up his email account already and was going through it. "Looks like he keeps his emails cleaned up. Nothing in his spam folder, nothing in his trash. Just a couple coupons for restaurants that he can print out in the inbox." Shayla pulled up the search history to see if there was anything he had been searching for or looking at that would be able to help.

Luckily enough, there was a full search history. She went through until she saw a familiar name of a local bank. She clicked on it and was able to pull up his banking information. Travis never logged out of anything apparently.

Shayla looked up Travis's transaction history to see if he had made any recent purchases.

"Looks like he's still in Tacoma somewhere according to these transactions," Shayla said as she looked it over. "But not all of them could have come through. Last one looks like it was made three days ago." Clay hummed.

"Keep on it," he commanded and Shayla slouched a little in annoyance.

"Stuff like this only gets updated once a day or so. And if he uses his card instead of cash, this looks like it's every couple days or so. It probably doesn't even do it over the weekends so we won't know anything until tomorrow," she reasoned with him. "If there is even anything there."

"Is there anything else in there?" Clay asked. She shrugged as she pulled up his search history again. She looked through it and found the typical things. A couple pornography sites, addresses, phone numbers…

She clicked on the addresses he was searching. If she was still in Charming she would have known each one of those addresses, but now that she was in Tacoma, they meant absolutely nothing to her.

"Hey, Hap, do any of these addresses mean anything to you?" Shayla asked. Happy leaned over and looked over each address. He pointed to one.

"That's some docks, but they're not the ones we use." Clay nodded and patted Shayla on the shoulder.

"Good job, Shay," he said as he turned to the others. "Come on, we got a lead." Happy stood from his stool and looked down at Shayla. Shayla knew what he was thinking because she was thinking it as well. She didn't want him to leave. She wanted to drag him back to the dorm so they could finish what they were trying to start before they were so rudely interrupted.

"Be careful out there," Shayla said. Happy nodded.

"Go back to the dorm and keep the door locked. I'll be back as soon as I can," he said and Shayla nodded. She shut off her laptop and slid it back into her backpack. Everyone in the main room was making their way to the front doors of the clubhouse so they could chase the lead. All except Happy. Shayla waited for him to say or do whatever it was he was going to.

"You comin', Hap?" Tig called out from the door. Tig glanced back at him, but didn't answer. Tig grinned at him before his gaze slid to Shayla.

"Goodnight, Princess," he said then turned. Shayla rolled her eyes. He was being nosy. Happy reached out and tilted her head up to look at him. He leaned in so he could kiss her lips gently. The motion drew Shayla's breath out of her lungs. Shayla broke the kiss and grinned.

"The sooner you go, the sooner you can come back," Shayla said. Happy scoffed.

"Don't wait up, you need sleep," he said. Shayla chuckled.

"That's not what you were saying a little while ago," she teased him. Happy narrowed his eyes and huffed at her before he turned away so he could leave. Shayla turned back towards the dorms so she could finally get some sleep. She discarded her backpack on the floor then crawled back into bed.

It didn't matter how tired she really was. Just being back in Happy's bed and being able to smell him brought back what had happened nearly an hour before. Remembering how his fingers felt against her skin was enough to bring goosebumps to her skin. The fire she felt as he did so was started to come back. She hated that they were interrupted.

She couldn't really believe that she wanted to be with Happy so bad. Charlie was never able to make her have an orgasm during sex and Shayla was normally left finishing herself off. The drugs he was on made it difficult for him to maintain an erection, even though he said it was her that was at fault for it. Usually if he was able to hold an erection, the sex only lasted a few short minutes and Shayla barely had time to register that they were even having sex.

It had gotten to the point to where she was no longer interested in having sex with Charlie. She didn't see any point in it since she never reached her orgasm. She would just rather go take a shower with her favorite vibrator so she could get off.

It was different with Happy. She wanted him inside her. She wanted him to make her feel good. She wanted to feel all of him.

Shayla ran her hands across her body. Her hands weren't nearly as big as Happy's but they would have to do. She pulled up her shirt a little so she could grab her breast. She pinched at her piercing and twisted it a little. She bit her lip as a slight grunt escaped her lips. She ran her other hand down her stomach and ran her fingertips across the sensitive flesh just above her pubic bone.

She tried to remember exactly how Happy had ran his hand over her body so she could mimic it, but it wasn't enough. It didn't excite her like it had with Happy, but she was still turning herself on. She ran her hand down the outside of her pajama bottoms then pressed her fingers against her clit. The pressure made her groan. She rolled her hips against her fingers.

She tweaked her nipple ring again as she circled her clit. She arched her back slightly at the sensation. She took her hand from between her legs and let her hand slide inside. The sensation of skin on skin was enhanced making her whimper. She imagined Happy's mouth exploring her body while his finger circled her clit. She ran her fingers around her nipple piercing thinking it was Happy's tongue. She pushed her shirt up farther so expose her breasts to the cooled air of Happy's room.

She looked down at her hardened nipples as her hand fondled her breasts. She wanted it to be Happy's hand that she saw, his mouth licking and sucking, but it wasn't. She closed her eyes so she could let her imagination wander. She began to pinch and circle her clit, but it only provided a level of stimulation that she wanted more of.

She ran her finger down her folds to lubricate it with her natural juices. She wasn't very wet yet, but she knew with enough ministrations from herself, she would be soaking. Especially since it was Happy that was making her feel the way she was. She slipped her finger inside herself with a slight moan.

She ran her finger around inside her, for a moment then pulled it back out. She circled her clit again. It felt even better now that her finger was lubricated. She spread her legs a little more so she could be more exposed. She thought of it being Happy between her legs, using his tongue to please her. She ran another finger down and lubricated it as well. She began to circle her clit quickly just as she imagined Happy would. She whimpered out his name.

She moved the hand that was playing with her breasts to slide down her body as well. It was an awkward angle, but she managed to slide her fingers inside her while her other fingers played with her clit. She started thrusting against her fingers as she felt herself working closer to orgasm. Her pants were hindering her from angling her hips perfectly, so she withdrew her hands and pushed her pants down quickly. She tossed them on the floor then delved her hands back to her clit and pussy.

She bent her knees and pushed herself up so she could thrust her fingers inside herself quickly while her other fingers ran over her clit even quicker. Her toes curled and her body shook as her orgasm hit. She let her head fall back as a long, guttural moan left her lips.

She imagined Happy's dark eyes peering up at her. She imagined him all but drooling on her pussy as he watched her come undone. She imagined his fingers being sucked into her. She imagined the growl that would escape him as her body shook.

Unable to take anymore of the stimulation she was giving herself, she removed her fingers from herself and collapsed back on the bed. She took a deep breath then giggled. She looked down with a grin, but it went away. Happy wasn't there. It was all in her head. She huffed.

She kicked the blankets back then stood from the bed. She went into the bathroom to get herself cleaned up a little. Once she was cleaned up, she went back out into the room and plucked her underwear that were tangled up in her pajama pants. She slid them back on then reached for her phone.

She flipped it open. She searched through the contacts until she found Happy's number. She sent him a quick text.

_I bet you're better with your fingers than what I am_

Then she buried her face in his pillow and drifted off to sleep.


	28. Chapter 28

Happy, Jax, and Opie ran as fast as their legs could possibly carry them. Their breathing was heavy, their footfalls even heavier. They had made it to the docks and had found Travis. Happy wasn't expecting to find much when they arrived since it was a long shot in the end. It was no guarantee that Shayla finding the address in his search history meant anything. He supposed he was very wrong about that.

As soon as they had managed to get through the front gate, after Jax had sweet talked the female guard, they found Travis overseeing a shipment of drugs. As soon as he saw the van, he bolted on foot. They had chased him in the van for as long as they could, but he had hopped the fence around the perimeter of the docks.

Now they were running through the streets surrounding the docks. There were warehouses lined up that were owned by several different businesses. Their footfalls created a thunderous echo all around them. The air was chilled.

Happy wasn't paying much attention to where Jax and Opie were, but he could hear them panting somewhere around him. He was completely tunnel visioned into Travis's back.

Travis still wore his Kutte and there was just something about it that rubbed his nerves raw. Anyone that knew a damned thing about the Sons knew they weren't in the drug business. They kept that shit off the streets. They kept them safe. Travis running drugs was a slap in the face to anyone wearing a patch and there was no way he was going to get away with it.

Happy felt his legs move faster as his adrenaline pump harder. His lungs were on fire. His breath was uneven. His stomach was starting to knot.

Travis was fifteen years his senior so Happy knew it was only just a matter of time before Travis would wear down. They just couldn't lose him. The Reaper on Travis's back stared back at Happy and if he didn't know any better it was begging him to catch Travis.

Begging him to make Travis meet Mr. Mayhem.

He began to gain ground on Travis. He was starting to wear down. He was almost within reach. Happy held his hand out as his feet kept pounding into the pavement beneath him. He felt his fingers touch the leather of Travis's vest. He grabbed Travis's shoulder then jerked on him to make him stop. Travis tripped up and fell. It sent them both toppling over each other.

The pavement scraped up Happy's skin, but he didn't feel it. Happy pushed himself up and hovered over his President. Happy balled up his fist and brought it down on Travis's face. Travis held up his hand to stop Happy, but Happy simply pushed the hand away then punched him again. His rings left gashes in his face.

Jax and Opie pulled Happy off Travis.

"C'mon man, we need him alive," Jax said in a calming voice though he was panting heavily from the running. Opie was already on the phone with Clay so they could bring the van to them. Happy stared down at Travis who was in and out of consciousness. He wanted nothing more than to pull his gun and unload the clip in Travis's chest.

But Jax was right, they needed him alive. They needed him to get to Tiki. Then Happy would be free to do whatever he pleased. The sound of the van pulling up drew Happy's attention away from Travis. Chibs slid the door open and laughed.

"Great job, boys!" he praised as he hopped out of the van. "Very beautiful." He bent and zip tied Travis's hands together. Jax and Opie lifted the man and tossed him into the van without much care. They all crawled into the van, then drove off into the night without a trace. Happy dug in his pocket for his phone and pulled it out.

He had felt it vibrate sometime during the trip to the docks, but he had ignored it. He knew it couldn't have been important since it was just a text. He flipped his phone open to see it was a text from Shayla. She was probably wanting him to stop on the way back and pick her up something, whether it was a bag of chips or a pint of ice cream. It just depended on whatever he was craving at the time because of the munchies. He opened the text.

_I bet you're better with your fingers than what I am_ was all it said. It took a moment for it to click with Happy on what she meant by the text. He blinked a couple times, then read the message one more time before flipping his phone closed.

He glanced to Tig who sat at his left. Tig was staring back at him with an amused grin on his face. Happy simply glared.

It was going to be long ride back to the clubhouse now that Happy was thinking about what Shayla had been doing to herself before she even sent the text to him. Especially since his pants were feeling tighter.

All Happy truly wanted to do upon arriving back at the clubhouse was to go back to his dorm and show Shayla how good he was with his fingers and more. By the time they dragged Travis out of the van, he was awake. He watched them carefully as he laid in the floor of the van. They took him to the room that Happy used to extract information from people. Happy tied him to the chair.

Travis never spoke a word. He never begged for his life. He never begged for mercy. Happy knew why. Travis knew that Happy loved it when his victims begged. Travis was trying to work his way under Happy's skin. He was trying to break him, but Happy was a patient man. There was nothing Travis could do that would get a rise out of Happy.

"It might be best to wait until tomorrow to do this," Clay said from the doorway. "After Shayla goes to school. For, uh, ya know-," Clay shrugged. "Obvious reasons." Happy nodded as he checked the restraints to make sure Travis was going to stay put.

It made perfect sense to wait until after Shayla was gone to do whatever Happy needed to in order to get information on Tiki. The sounds alone that would be coming from the room was enough to send people running and Happy didn't want that to happen with Shayla. She would become afraid of him if she knew what he was capable of. Happy didn't mind it that people feared him, but he didn't want Shayla to be afraid. Not of him.

Once Happy was certain that Travis wasn't going to get away from them, he knelt down in front of Travis. Happy looked into his President's eyes. Happy kept a calm demeanour about him.

"I'll give you one chance to tell me where Tiki is," Happy said. Travis looked away from him. Happy sighed and shook his head. "You know me. You know what I'm capable of. You know that I can force it out of you." Travis looked back at the Enforcer with a deep glare. He still remained silent. "Have it your way."

Happy stood and reached for a cloth that was hanging from the metal rod near the door. He motioned for Travis to open his mouth. Happy watched as Travis bit down to prove that he wasn't going to listen to Happy. Happy shook his head in disappointment.

"You know I can make you open your mouth," Happy stated simply. Travis broke eye contact almost shamefully. Travis slowly opened his mouth to allow Happy to put the cloth in his mouth to serve as a gag. Happy turned and grabbed the duct tape off his little table filled with his little torture tools. He tore a piece of it free then placed it over the gag.

"Don't need you screaming and waking my girl," Happy said as he turned to the door. Happy stepped out of the room and closed the door behind him. He locked it with a key then placed the key in his pocket.

"Get some sleep," Clay told him. "We'll figure out where this Tiki guy is first thing." Happy nodded then stepped around Clay so he could finally lay next to Shayla. He approached his door and he could already hear Shayla snoring on the other side of the door. He couldn't help but grin at the sound. She must have wore herself out before Happy even returned to the clubhouse.

He opened the door then paused for a moment. Shayla was lying diagonally in the bed. She was holding his pillow against her as tight as she could get it. The blanket on the bed was twisted all around her body. The pajama pants that she wore was pushed up to her knees and her shirt was bunched up a little. She looked like she had spent a lot of time tossing and turning in her sleep.

Movement caught the corner of Happy's eye and he turned to see Lee walking down the hall. He stopped next to Happy's door and peeked inside.

"You sure you're going to be able to get any sleep with her snoring like that?" he asked. Happy shrugged. "Well, I'm going to be on first watch to make sure no one tries to come in and let Travis go. You got the key to the room?" Happy nodded as he dug in his pocket to get the key out. He handed it over to Lee.

Lee took the key from him then looked back in to Shayla with an amused look on his face.

"She did good today," Lee stated. Happy nodded. Happy had to admit, Shayla had done a good deed for the club that evening by hacking into Travis's computer. No one in SAMTAC was that good when it came to technology. Shayla had proven that she was useful to the club in more ways than just one. She had managed to get back to see Kozik by telling a little white lie which in turn led them to Travis. Then she had led them directly to Travis by hacking into his computer.

Happy would be lying if he said he didn't feel a slight swell of pride in his chest.

Lee gave Happy's shoulder a light pat. "I'll see you in the morning, man."

Happy nodded as he stepped further into his dorm, then shut the door. He walked over to his side of the bed and sat down as gently as possible as not to disturb Shayla. He doubted there was much that was going to wake her.

Happy bent then undid the laces on his boots before he toed them off. He slid his socks off then tossed them in his hamper. Happy looked back to Shayla once she started murmuring something in her sleep. She always said the most off the wall shit whenever she was sleeping. He tried to listen as carefully as he could, but he couldn't make out what she was saying. She squeezed his pillow a little tighter then pushed her nose into it. The moment she did so, her snoring continued. Happy shook his head then pushed himself up from the bed.

He shrugged out of his Kutte and laid it across the back of the chair that sat at his desk.

"You can't threaten me while wearing that tutu. It's not even the right color," Shayla mumbled catching Happy's attention. He grinned. What the hell was she dreaming about? She rolled in the bed. The blanket tangled more around her body and her shirt was pushed up a little more. The roll had made her release his pillow and free up enough space on his side of the bed to where he could crawl inside. The blanket, however, was going to be a battle to get.

Happy tossed his shirt in the hamper then took his gun out of the back of his pants. He opened up his nightstand drawer then placed it inside quietly. He undid his belt then slid his knife off and placed it in the drawer as well. He slid it closed then stood up straight so he could take his pants off. He left his pants laying next to the bed as he slid in bed next to Shayla.

The motion brought her out of her deep sleep a little. She opened her eyes a little and peered at him through the darkness.

"Hey," she mumbled as she rolled towards him. She tried to grab the blanket and toss it over him as well, but that wasn't going to be happening. It looked more like a boa constrictor around her than a blanket. She peered down in confusion. She started trying to get it spread out so she could cover Happy with the blanket, but the blanket was proving to be quite the foe.

She grunted as she kept trying to roll back and forth to loosen the blankets grip on her. Happy just laid there and watched her. He reached back and flicked on the light so she could see exactly what she was doing. She flinched at the sudden brightness, but it helped her out enough to where she could break free. She tossed the blanket over Happy then slid to where she could bury her head in his chest.

"I missed you," she said as she draped her arm over his waist. Happy snorted and rolled his eyes. He hadn't been gone that long. How in the hell could she possibly miss him if she was asleep for most of his absence. She looked up at him with bleary eyes. "Did you find him?"

"Yeah, he was at the docks that you found the address for," Happy told her. Shayla hummed as she rested her head back on the pillow.

"Good," she said as she closed her eyes. "Now I can rest a little easier knowing that you're safe." Happy huffed.

"You don't need to worry about me," he said as he reached back and flicked the light back off. Shayla hummed again as she moved over so Happy could lay on his back. He wrapped his arm around her waist while she rested her head against his chest. She draped her arm across his stomach then tangled her leg around his. She fit so perfect next to him like that.

"I know I don't need to worry about you, but I still do," she said. Happy hummed.

The fact that Travis had been capture eased her mind, but that still didn't change the fact that they still had to worry about Tiki. If he was as large an influence as was believed, he was even more dangerous than Travis out on the streets. There was a chance that Travis alerted Tiki to the Sons becoming aware of what was going on. There was a chance that he knew about Shayla.

Happy's grip tightened on her protectively. He wasn't going to let anything happen to her. He would protect her. He would make sure she was safe. It was his job before they had even started dating, but now it was different now that she belonged to him. It was more than a request now. It was more than a favor. It was more than a job. She was his. And he protected what was his.


	29. Chapter 29

Shayla groaned in protest at the sound of the alarm on her phone. She lifted her head and looked around for a moment completely confused as to where she was. She searched the darkness for the source of the god awful sound that was her alarm. She heard Happy groan next to her.

She found a small light source next to the bed, then her head became clear enough to figure out that was what was making the sound. She reached out and grabbed her phone then flipped it open so she could dismiss the alarm. She shoved her face in her pillow with another groan before she sat up on the edge of the bed. She really didn't want to be up. She didn't feel like she got much sleep the night before, though judging by the puddle of drool that she had put her face in, she had slept hard.

She flipped on the lamp on her side of the bed then looked back to Happy. He was laying on his back rubbing his face. Shayla reached out and ran her hand down the side of his face.

"Go back to sleep. I'll be as quiet as I can," she whispered. Happy gave her a playful glare, then snatched her wrist. He pulled her to where she was laying across him. She squealed as he pulled her against him.

"Wouldn't want you being quiet," he said in an extra gravelly voice. Shayla giggled as she pressed her lips against his.

"And trust me," she said pulling away from him. "If I didn't have such a long day today, I would let you make me scream as loud as you want. But this is my long day. I'll see you this evening okay?" Happy grumbled in protest, but released her. Shayla got out of bed and made her way to the closet. She opened it and dragged her duffle bag out so she could change. She knelt down so she could dig through it.

"You can hang that shit up if you want. Got a couple empty drawers too," Happy mentioned. Shayla snorted and looked over at him.

"Already trying to move me in with you, Hap?" she teased as she pulled out a t-shirt that had Metallica's ...And Justice for All album cover on the front. She tossed it on the bed.

"You were doin' that before we even hooked up," Happy reasoned. Shayla hummed as she pulled out a pair of light blue jeans then tossed them on the bed as well.

"You got a point. I guess I could clear out a couple drawers for you, too," she said as she grabbed a pair of underwear and a bra to put on. She stood and gathered all her clothes up in her arms then made her way to the bathroom.

"Wait," Happy said as he sat up in bed. Shayla stopped and turned to him. "Get dressed right there." Shayla felt her face heat up as she clutched the clothes to her tighter.

"We can't do this right now, Happy, you'll make me late," she said then turned to the bathroom.

"I never said I was going to touch you," he said making her stop again. "I just wanna watch." Shayla felt her face grow hotter as she looked down at the clothes in her hands.

"I haven't had a chance to groom properly in over a week, Hap," she told him honestly. Where she had been sick and hadn't stopped since she had gotten better, she hadn't had a chance to take a full shower. She hadn't shaved or trimmed her pubic hair and it was starting to look unruly down there at the moment. She hadn't worried about shaving her legs. She had shaved her pits, but that was about it.

"Change," Happy commanded. Shayla bit her lip as she contemplated doing it for Happy anyways. He had seen her naked once before, but she had spent extra time in the shower making sure every strand of hair was where it needed to be and not be. It wasn't like that with her right now.

But her mother always taught her that in order to be a proper Old Lady, she had to obey. She swallowed as she tossed the clothes on the bed. She didn't mind changing in front of Happy. She knew people would consider her to have a nice body. Toned, but not to the point to where it was overkill. She had a nice pair of legs from all the running she did when she played softball. Her stomach wasn't completely flat, but she didn't want it to be flat.

She grabbed the edge of her shirt and lifted it slowly over her head. She tossed it in the hamper to her right then looked to Happy. He had a smirk on his lips as he looked down her body slowly. His eyes lingered on her tits for a bit before they traveled down to her stomach were the nautical stars were.

She hooked her fingers into her pajama bottoms then pushed them down to her ankles. She stood up straight to completely bare herself to him. Happy's eyes traveled down her body slowly. Taking her all in from the top of her messy head all the way down to the tips of her toes. She hoped that Happy didn't mind that she wasn't groomed up properly. She had told him, but he still wanted her to strip.

The smirk on his lips never faltered while he studied her body. Her heart thudded in her chest with excitement. She was certain that she had a certain glimmer from her juices appearing between her legs and it served as a beacon of her arousal.

"Put on your underwear," he commanded as he nodded towards her pile of clothes that rested at his feet. She grabbed her underwear and held them up so she could make sure they were the right way. They were a simple pair of red boy shorts that had a yellow border. She bent and slid them on one leg at a time. She went to pull them up, but Happy's voice stopped her.

"Turn around, then pull them up," he instructed. Shayla looked up at him with wide eyes. He had seen her scars before. He knew they were there, but that didn't stop her from feeling a little uncomfortable showing them to him. She slowly turned anyway and left a perfect view of her ass. She bent again to pull her underwear up. She looked over her shoulder as she pulled them up slowly.

Happy licked his bottom lip hungrily. His eyes were completely blacked out. Shayla took note of his erection that currently raised the blanket on the bed in quite an impressive tent.

"Beautiful," he growled. He nodded towards her pile of clothes again.

"Bra." Shayla turned then grabbed her bra. She slid it on, then hooked it behind her back. Her bra was a light blue color and wasn't grabbed in the sense that she was wanting to match, but that didn't seem to bother Happy.

"Pants," he told her nodding to her clothes once more. She grabbed her pants and turned her back on him. She bent then started putting them on. She pulled them up making sure to give her hips an extra wiggle or two so Happy would have a little more show. She didn't face him again until she had buttoned and zipped them up. She reached for her shirt.

"Did I tell you to put a shirt on?" Happy barked. Shayla shot back up and looked at him with wide eyes. Her heart had skipped a beat at the sudden change in his voice. There was something about it that excited her. She stood there while Happy's eyes wandered her body one last time before he nodded to her shirt. She grabbed it then put it over her head.

She stood before him as if presenting herself to him. Happy gave her a smirk then nodded to the bathroom. She walked into the bathroom so she could get cleaned up a little. She washed her face first then grabbed her toothbrush. Just as she spit the last of the toothpaste out, she felt someone grab her waist. She jerked and looked into the mirror to find Happy grabbing her.

She leaned up against him then ran her hand up the side of his neck. He grabbed her throat lightly as he lowered his head to kiss her. The kiss sucked her breath away. She figured she was going to have to get used to the fact Happy's kisses did that to her.

"That pussy is mine tonight," he growled against her lips. He pulled away from her so he could look her in the eye. "No more interruptions." Shayla giggled as she turned to face him. She wrapped her arms around his waist then kissed his lips quickly.

"I'm looking forward to it," she whispered. Happy smirked before he gave her ass a quick slap then squeezed it. Shayla squealed then pressed her lips to his again. He backed away from her after breaking the kiss.

"You want coffee?" he asked.

"Yeah, I've got time for a cup. Let me finish getting ready," she said turning back to the sink. Happy threw on the rest of his clothes before he padded out of the room. Shayla decided keeping her makeup simple so she had a little extra time before she had to leave.

She put on a pair of socks then her shoes before shoving her duffle bag back into the closet. She would worry about hanging her clothes when she had time to. She took a quick glance around to find that Happy had picked up her clothes and tossed them in the hamper for her. She walked over to her side of the bed and collected her backpack. She slung it over her shoulder then opened the drawer in her nightstand. She grabbed a joint and a lighter then lit it. She dropped the lighter back into the drawer then walked out of the room.

Her attention was drawn a little farther into the hallway. Away from the main room where Happy was. There was a sound that didn't sound too unlike muffled screams. She walked towards the sound instead of walking away. She was glad that she wasn't in a horror movie because that would be the scene where she would die. She listened in on each door along the way testing out the sound in each one, but it was clear it wasn't coming from them.

It was just a couple doors away from Happy's dorm room. She stood in front of the door with a sinking feeling in her chest. She stepped closer to the door then leaned her ear against it.

She suddenly remembered the conversation that she had with Happy the night before when he came in. He had said they found Travis. Travis was on the other side of the door.

"Shay," she heard her brother call out at the end of the hallway. She was surprised he was awake. He was hardly ever up before noon. "I made you some breakfast." She snorted at him. She walked towards him without a word until she came to him. She glanced back down the hallway towards the door that she had heard Travis in.

"That's Travis," she said then looked to her brother. "Isn't it?"

"Yeah," Jax said in a low voice.

Shayla nodded her head. "Okay." She wasn't going to ask any questions because she knew that they weren't going to tell her.

Jax threw his arm over her shoulder and gave her that lopsided smile of his. He led her into the main room of the clubhouse. She had yet to smell anything cooking leaving her curious as to what Jax had made her. All came clear when she saw a bowl of Cheerios waiting for her. She could see slices of banana in it. There was a couple muffins lying on a napkin next to the bowl and if her eyes served her right, they were blueberry. There was a cup of coffee on the other side of the bowl.

She chuckled then looked up to her brother as she took a puff from her joint.

"You know me so well," she said with a grin. She handed him the joint so she could go enjoy her breakfast. She sat down at the bar and grabbed her spoon. She started eating it as Happy walked up to stand next to her. He held money out to her. Shayla wasn't able to tell how much because it was folded up. She swallowed her bite.

"What's that for?" she asked.

"You got school and work. You need to eat," he said. Shayla huffed. She hated being broke. She didn't like it when someone had to take care of her, but Happy was right. She had no money and she wouldn't be done with her day until later in the evening. She would be starving by the end of the day and it was never pretty when she was hungry.

She reached out and took the money from Happy. "Thanks. I'll pay you back," she said.

"Don't worry about it," Happy said as he stepped around her. She rolled her eyes then looked to Jax. He gave her a grin with amusement glittering in his eyes.

"We're going to have the Prospect tag along with you today. We need Happy here. You're to go to school, go to work, then come here," Jax told her. Shayla huffed as she took another bite. She remained quiet until she finished chewing and swallowed.

"I was going to do that in the first place, Jackson," she said. What else was she going to do? She had plans with Happy that evening. She was going to be wherever he was.

Shayla pulled up into the parking lot of VacaGetaway and grinned. As always Becky was standing outside having a smoke break. She normally came outside for a smoke around the time Shayla showed up so they could bullshit.

"You can't go in with me here, Juicy," she said looking at the Prospect. She only called him by his name when they were alone. "Authorized personnel only." Juice twisted his face in disbelief.

"You sell vacations," he told her. Shayla laughed.

"Exactly. There's probably over three thousand credit card numbers on the other side of those doors," Shayla said as she unbuckled her seat belt.

"Really?" Juice asked suddenly very interested. Shayla rolled her eyes.

"No, you're not stealing credit card numbers from these people," Shayla said. Juice gave her a flat look.

"I wasn't thinking that," he said, leaning back in his seat. Shayla chuckled and reached out to pinch his cheek.

"Sure you weren't," she said then opened her door.

"It's alive!" she heard Becky call out. Shayla looked to her coworker and friend to see her with her arms opened wide. The hat she wore today said _I Wasn't Listening_. The entire hat was black and the lettering was bold and white. Shayla got out of the car and shut the door.

"Yeah, it was pretty touch and go there for a while, but I managed to pull through," Shayla said as she moved around the front of her car. Becky flicked her cigarette into the parking lot eyeing Juice in the car.

"He's new. What happened? Did you get tired of Happy already?" she teased. Shayla chuckled as they made their way to the doors.

"Nah, he's just a Prospect from my hometown. He's my bitch for the time being," Shayla said with a shrug.

"A yummy looking bitch at that," Becky said looking over her shoulder to where Juice was sitting in Shayla's car. Shayla swiped her card to gain entry into the building.

"I could hook you two up. The girls back home can't get enough of him," Shayla said holding the door open for Becky. Becky gave her a questioning look. Shayla didn't really like talking about the ways of the club with outsiders because a lot of the time they just didn't understand. Becky was different though, but Shayla figured she would have to be eased into it. Even if Shayla wasn't going to tell her everything. There were just certain things that outsiders weren't allowed to know.

"But I do have news for you," Shayla said with a grin while Becky opened the second door into the building. Becky eyed her. "Me and Happy are dating now." Becky smiled and all but squealed.

"Fucking finally!" she said as she held the door open for Shayla. They stepped into the lobby. "So how is he in bed? I bet he's a freak in the sheets." Shayla shrugged.

"We haven't slept together yet. Things have been… interesting for the past few days and we haven't really had time to be alone," Shayla explained. Becky groaned.

"C'mon already! You know I live vicariously through you." Becky stepped in close. "I haven't had any dick since I before Madison was born. You gotta give me something here." Shayla snorted.

"Tig is in from Charming also. Could totally hook you up with him," Shayla offered. Becky giggled.

"I am a sucker for blue eyes," she said.

Shayla ended up being on a call for nearly an hour after she was supposed to be off work trying to get the person on the phone to buy a vacation off her. She knew that the person was interested in buying from her because there was no way that they would stay on a phone call with a total stranger for over an hour otherwise. They were asking constant questions. Shayla had dropped the price for the vacation to sweeten the deal a little more.

Becky ended up staying with her while she finished up with the sale. Deb had a date that night with her husband and couldn't stay after. Becky apparently knew how to close everything up so no one had anything to worry about. Shayla had finally managed to get the caller to get their credit card and was finishing up the call.

Shayla had a good day at work. She had managed to make it to the first tier of commission on the first day. It wasn't entirely unheard of, but it was always good to get commission on the first day of the work week. It was going to be smooth sailing for the rest of the week. She was more than glad for it since she already had enough on her shoulders with school work and what was going on in the club.

She thought that what was going on in the club was going to be very distracting to her, but she was able to throw herself into her work and was able to come out on top for the day.

Now all she had to look forward to was Happy. Excitement surged through her. Becky had to get home as soon as possible since she was currently paying her babysitter overtime. Shayla got in her car which was already running since the evening grew cold. Juice was sitting inside smoking a joint.

Juice offered her the joint which she gladly took. She took a couple hits off it before handing it back to Juice.

"You know," Juice started. "I'm not sure if I feel better or if I'm just stoned." Shayla chuckled while she pulled out of her parking spot.

"Can't it be both?" she asked. Juice grinned.

"Yeah, I like that idea."

"We're going to stop by my house real quick to pick up my Xbox. I need your help on Halo," Shayla told Juice as she pulled out into the road. Juice shot up and looked at her with wide eyes.

"No, you're supposed to go straight to the clubhouse," Juice said.

"It'll be fine. I have to go pick up some more clothes anyways. We'll tell Clay it was all my idea," she said waving him off. Juice huffed.

"It's not Clay I'm worried about," he mumbled as he handed the joint to Shayla. Shayla took it from him.

"Let me guess, Happy threatened you," Shayla said putting the joint to her lips. Juice scoffed.

"More like promised. Said he would hang me with my own entrails," he grumbled. Shayla giggled. Of course he said that to Juice. And poor Juice probably believed him.

"That's why we'll tell him it was my idea," Shayla said handing the joint back to Juice.

"It is your idea," Juice reasoned with her.


	30. Chapter 30

Happy wasn't happy. Happy wasn't happy at all. In fact, he was furious. He had dragged extracting information from Travis throughout the day so he could stay occupied.

Everytime he stopped, his mind would start drifting off towards that evening. He had only went back to his dorm to jerk off once, but didn't want to overdo it.

He had tuned his bike up and changed the oil and oil filter. He had changed the sheets on the bed so they'd be fresh for later. He had stripped pieces of flesh from Travis. He took his time. He had to keep his mind on something that wasn't Shayla's pussy.

Morning turned to evening. Evening turned to night.

Happy had glanced down at his watch to see it was a few minutes passed the time Shayla got off work and he grinned.

That was an hour and a half ago. Shayla still hadn't arrived at the clubhouse. She wasn't answering her phone and niether ws that fucking little Prospect they had sent with her. Most of the time Shayla stayed over for a little while at work to finish up with a call, but never an hour and a half.

Happy stepped outside into the sudden Tacoma rain. Shayla still hadn't showed up. He didn't know where she was or when she was going to be back.

He pulled his cell from his pocket and flipped it open. He scrolled through his contacts until he found Shayla's name and pressed send. Usually she would answer within a couple rings or she would reject the call then text instead depending on her situation. But that never happened. It just went to voicemail once more.

"She still not here?" Tig asked as he stepped out into the rain with happy.

"And still not answering her phone," Happy said as he shoved the device back in his pocket.

"I'm sure she's alright, Hap," Tig said.

"She was supposed to come straight here," Happy grumbled. Tig chuckled while h lit the cigarette in his lips.

"And you expected her to listen. That's just cute," Tig stated in a teasing manner. Happy shrugged as he crossed his arms. Tig got a curious look about him as he studied the Enforcer. "What, did you two have a date or something?"

Happy huffed as he looked away from Tig.

"Or something," Happy muttered.

"Oh, you were supposed to be gettin' some tonight," Tig teased farther. Happy remained quiet. "So, how is she? I've always been curious."

Happy's gaze slowly slid to Tig in a deep glare. Tig glanced back at him with that shit eating grin that made Happy want to punch him in the face.

"I wouldn't know," Happy admitted quietly. The cigarette in Tig's mouth fell to the ground when his jaw dropped.

"You gotta be shittin' me," Tig said in disbelief. Happy shrugged again. "How the hell have you managed to stay off her?" Happy scoffed.

"It's been hard," Happy grumbled.

"I'm sure it is," Tig said with a chuckle on his breath. Happy gave him another glare, but Tig paid him no mind. Instead, he watched as a pair of headlights pulled into the parking lot.

Happy felt a rush of relief wash over him as he recognized Shayla's car. Then it was replaced by the anger and frustration he had felt towards her moments before. Happy stepped farther out into the rain and headed towards Shayla's car.

She pulled into the parking spot she usually did as long as it was free. He could see her and the Prospect laughing at something inside as Shayla turned her car off. She had yet to notice Happy's approach.

Shayla opened her car door a little and looked in the backseat. She said something to the Prospect that Happy couldn't hear. She opened the door the rest of the way and got out. Happy stopped in front of her and grabbed her arm.

"Where the fuck have you been?" he growled. Shayla frowned as she glanced down at his hand still gripping her.

"I was at work, Hap. I had a call that ran over for nearly an hour. I wouldn't have kept him on the phone for so long, but I knew he was going to buy and it was gonna put me in the first tier of commission," she explained. Happy felt some of the anger melt away as he looked in her backseat. There were a couple bags and a duffle. Happy nodded his head towards it.

"The fuck is all that?" he asked and released his grip on her. She stepped to the back door and rested her hand on the handle.

"Ran by my place to pick up a few things," she said as she pulled open the back door, just to have Happy push it closed again. She gave him a playful glare, but Happy wasn't feeling very playful.

"I'm just going to put this inside," the Prospect said nervously as he hurried to the front door.

"I'll find you later," Happy barked at him and the Prospect nearly fell over his own feet. Shayla clicked her tongue at Happy. It dragged his attention back to her. She stood closer to him and placed her hand on his chest.

"Don't be like that to him, Hap. It was my idea," Shayla defended lightly. Happy gave her a dark stare.

"His job was to bring you straight here," Happy told her. Happy had given him very clear instruction and made it even more clear what Happy would do if he didn't listen.

Shayla stepped closer to him. She was starting to shiver from the cold rain pelting them. Her hair was beginning to go flat from the wetness.

"Well, I figured if we were going to be here for the next couple days, I would just go ahead and grab a few things so we wouldn't have to do it tomorrow." She leaned up and kissed his lips gently. "So we can spend more time in bed." Happy hummed.

He knew what she was doing. She had done it before. She would completely distract him to the point that he would forget why he was angry all together, but he wasn't finished with her yet.

"Why didn't you answer your phone?" Happy asked. Shayla chuckled as she rubbed the back of her neck bashfully.

"That last call I took left me scatterbrained and I left my phone in my locket. The Prospect forgot his phone because _someone_-," she eyed Happy pointedly. "Literally dragged him out of bed."

Happy shrugged innocently. "He wasn't moving fast enough." Shayla snorted. She reached up and kissed his lips again.

"I'm sorry, Happy. By the time I realized I forgot my phone it was too late. I didn't mean to worry you." She stepped away from him and opened her car door again. "Now, help me carry this stuff in. I'm getting soaked and not in the way I want to be." Happy chuckled as he stepped around the car door so he could be handed some things.

Shayla handed him her duffle bag first and he placed the strap on his shoulder as Shayla handed him another bag.

"What the hell did you bring with you?" Happy spat as another bag was handed to him.

"My Xbox, 64, and some games," Shayla said as another bag was handed to him. Shayla grabbed her backpack over her shoulder she grabbed a bag that she kept her toiletries in. She reached in for one last bag.

"I had a little time between school and work so i stopped and picked up a few things for your dorm." Happy frowned down at her.

"That was supposed to be for food and gas," Happy rasped.

"And you gave me more than enough for food and gas. And we needed this stuff so," Shayla reasoned with a shrug. Happy walked a little faster so he could get out in front of Shayla. He came to the door first then opened it for her.

"And how much did you spend exactly?" Happy asked her. Shayla groaned as she stepped across the threshold. Happy stepped in behind her. She stopped just on the other side of the door and turned to Happy.

"Listen, happy, I have been dealing with numbers for the past two days. I am cold and wet. Can we do this after I get cleaned up a little?" she requested. Happy shrugged.

"Sure."

They walked farther into the main room of the clubhouse. Lee and Clay sat at the bar with a couple beers. Clay puffed away on his cigar. Shayla walked up to Clay and wrapped an arm around his shoulder and gave him a kiss on the cheek.

"Where have you been?" he scolded her. Shayla shrugged innocently.

"Work ran over, then I ran to my place to pick up a few things," she said as she eyed the bags that Juice had carried in.

"Just a few?" Lee asked with a grin. Shayla grinned.

"You were supposed to come straight here," Clay reminded her.

"I know, but this just saves extra trips tomorrow." She kissed Clay's cheek again. "I'm sorry, I won't do it again." Clay rolled his eyes then gave his step daughter a flat look.

"Yes you will." Shayla giggled as she stepped away from him. She looked to Lee.

"You don't mind if I steal the tv out here to hook up some video games do you?" she asked as she rested her hand on some of the bags. Lee shrugged.

"Sure, just don't break the tv. You'll have a lot of angry bikers with guns angry with you," he told her. Shayla laughed.

"I'll try not to. Thanks, Lee." Lee nodded to her while she gathered up all of the bags on the bar. She quickly excused herself from them and made her way towards Happy's dorm. Happy followed behind her.

Happy unlocked the door into his dorm and pushed the door open so Shayla could step in first. She did so and deposited her belongings on the bed. Happy laid the rest of it on the bed as well.

Shayla went to unzip her duffle so she could grab herself some clothes, but Happy's large hands grabbed her hips and pulled her to him. Shayla leaned back as she grabbed his hands and made Happy wrap his arms around her.

She looked up at him through tired eyes. Happy captured her lips with his. He kissed her nice and slow. Shayla felt her breath get caught in her throat just as it usually did with his kisses.

Happy broke the kiss just enough to where they could speak.

"I missed you today," Shayla whispered. Happy scoffed. "What? You didn't miss me?" Happy narrowed his eyes at her. Shayla clicked her tongue at him as she stepped away from him.

Happy went to snatch her up, but Shayla stepped just out of his reach with a giggle. Happy grinned as he stalked towards her slowly. Shayla backed up against the wall with a wildfire in her eyes. She sucked her bottom lip in between her teeth.

"Now, Hap, I've got to get cleaned up before I'm all yours," Shayla said holding her hand out to stop him. Happy continued to prowl forwards as if her words were never spoken. Happy pushed her hand out of the way then placed his palms on the wall on either side of her head.

Her lowered his lips to hers firmly. Shayla melted as she moaned into his lips. She gripped his shirt to keep herself upright.

"Hap," Shayla said as she started to come to. "I have to shower." Happy growled as he wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her to him. He broke the kiss so he could look at her.

"You're going to have to shower after I'm done with you," Happy said in a husky voice. Shayla giggled.

"I'm aware of that, but I didn't shower last night or this morning. I want to be clean before we do this," she told him. Shayla huffed as he all but pouted. He stepped away from her.

"Fine, shower," he said. Shayla nodded and stepped into the bathroom. She flicked on the light then snapped her fingers. She turned quickly back into the dorm. She dug through the bags until she found her toiletry bag, then grabbed the bag she got from the market.

She walked back into the bathroom and sat the shopping bag in the sink. She glanced up in the mirror to see Happy leaning against the threshold. She opened the bag. She pulled out a stick of men's deodorant and held it up for Happy to see.

"I noticed you were running low here so I picked you up some more. I also got some more shampoo and conditioner, toothpaste, and toilet paper," she said as she pulled the items out.

Happy noticed the flash of red come from the bag just a sShayla turned with it hidden behind her back. She smiled brightly up at him.

"I _did_ get you something,m" she told him as she sauntered towards him.

"And what's that?" Happy asked with a small grin. Shayla shook her head.

"Pick a hand," she demanded playfully. Happy rolled his eyes.

"Give me the fucking thing," he ordered. Shayla chuckled then she shook her head again.

"Not until you pick a hand," she said. Happy rolled his eyes again.

"Left," he said as he nodded to her left hand. She raised the hand to reveal nothing. Happy frowned as he crossed his arms. Shayla snorted as she held out the gift. It was a king sized Kit Kat bar.

Happy's favorite.

Happy grinned again as he reached for it. Just as he was about to grab it, Shayla tok it away. Happy glared at her.

"You don't get this," she said as she turned. "You didn't pick the right hand." Happy stepped forward and grabbed Shayla quickly by the waist. Happy buried his face in her neck. Shayla squealed.

"Give me the damned candy," he growled in her ear. Shayla held the candy bar up. Happy took it from her then gave her ass a slap as he walked out of the bathroom.

Shayla followed behind him so she could grab some clothes. She unzipped her bag and started digging through it.

"How much money do you have left?" Happy asked as he sat in the chair at his desk since there was currently no room on the bed.

"Thirty or forty bucks maybe," Shayla said with a shrug. Happy frowned.

"The fuck did you buy?" Happy spat. Shayla gave him a curious look.

"Well, my tank was less than a quarter so i filled it up. Got lunch, dinner, and supplies. It just added up," she told him, getting a little defensive.

"I gave you a hundred bucks to last you for more than just a day," he snapped as he stood from the chair. Shayla stood up straight and faced him. She put her hands on her hips.

"And it did, Hap. What I got left can last me the rest of the week if I play my cards right," she hissed at him. Happy looked away from her as he ground his teeth together. "What's going on, Happy?" Happy let out a slow breath before he looked to Shayla.

"You're not the only one who didn't work for a week, Shayla," Happy admitted quietly. Shayla frowned.

"The Chicago trip didn't pay?" Shayla inquired.

"It did, but with the way things are going right now, it's still going to be a couple days before I can go back to work, and you still have a little less than two weeks before you get your next paycheck. It's just going to be tight for the next week or so," Happy told her. Shayla grinned at him as she stepped forward.

She reached out and tugged at the edges of his kutte and smiled up at him.

"You're pretty amazing, do you know that?" she asked. Happy narrowed his eyes at her. "You are taking care of me even though you don't have to-..."

"You're my woman. I'm supposed to take care of you," Happy interrupted her. Shayla chuckled lightly.

"I didn't know you were such a sweetheart, Hap," Shayla teased him. Happy shifted on his feet as he looked away from her. Shayla tugged on his kutte a couple times to get his attention.

"Thank you, Hap. For everything." Happy moved to kiss her one more time, but there was a knock at the door. They both looked to the door with a huff.

"We're at the table," Jax called out through the door.

"Couldn't it wait until morning?" Shayla grumbled. Happy grinned down at her.

"Go shower. I'm getting tired of waiting for that pussy," Happy commanded her. Shayla bit her lip then turned back to her duffle bag. She finished gathering up her clothes then rushed into the bathroom. Happy watched her with a grin until she shut the door.

Happy stepped out into the hallway where Jax waited for him.

"Sorry to pull you away from my sister," Jax said as they started walking towards the chapel. Happy shrugged.

"This just better be important," Happy grumbled as they stepped out into the main room. Happy eyed the Prospect. Apparently he had been tasked with cleaning up around the bar. Happy eyed him for a moment before stepping in behind the bar. The Prospect watched him with wide eyes. He held out his hands desperately.

"I tried to get her to come back, dude!" the Prospect said quickly. Happy ignored him as he raised his hand and bitch slapped him so hard that he had to stemble a few steps to catch his balance.

"You had one fucking job-," Happy stepped closer and slapped him again, "Bring her here after work-," Happy slapped him again. "If you can't follow a simple instruction, how the fuck do you you think you're gonna be patched in?" Happy slapped him once more. When the Prospect recovered, Happy noticed that his lip was bleeding.

"C'mon, Hap, quit playing with the Prospect," Clay said standing at the doorway that led into the chapel with Lee. Happy glanced over his shoulder at them before settling his gaze back on the bleeding Prospect.

"I'm not done with you yet," Happy promised him then stepped out from behind the bar. The group of bikers disappeared behind the door and closed it behind them.


	31. Chapter 31

Shayla got out of the shower feeling like a whole new woman. She was completely shaved from head to toe. She had taken her time while shaving because her hand was all shaky from the anticipation for what was to come. And by come she meant her. At least she hoped. She had never had a man bring her to orgasm before and she prayed that Happy would be the man to do it.

She looked at herself in the mirror for a bit and turned this way and that to make sure her pubic hair was neatly trimmed and even. Satisfied with how it looked, she picked her left leg up and placed it on the sink. She ran her hands up her leg slowly to make sure she had gotten every last hair that had grown. She ran across a small patch that she had missed then reached over into the shower to grab her razor. She ran the razor up her leg to get the missed hair.

Upon further inspection, the rest of her leg was nice and smooth. She put her left leg down and picked up her left leg. She ran her hands over that one as well to find that it was completely smooth. She grabbed her lotion then squeezed out a small dab for her legs to make them extra smooth.

Tonight was going to be perfect. She had never anticipated a night like this before. She had expected them to happen at times, but she had never been excited the way she was before. She was still nervous since she still worried that she wasn't going to be enough for Happy. She wasn't sure how she would feel if he rejected her after they laid together. Compared to the women that Happy had been with, she was a virgin.

She had never really enjoyed sex in a sense. She had enjoyed the connection it brought and even the level of intimacy, but afterwards, it never really seemed to change a thing. It always went back to the way it was before; the feeling of separation. The feeling of being alone even though there was someone laying right next to her and the feeling of detachment.

She pushed those thoughts from her mind as she reached for her clothes. She put her underwear on first. It was a simple pink g-string with a cute little floral design that covered her pubic hair perfectly. She put on a light blue bra. She had never really been the one to own matching undergarments so Happy was just going to have to deal.

It wasn't like she had the money for lingerie or anything.

She put on a pair of pajama bottoms that had pokeballs all over them then a t-shirt that had the Pokemon logo with the slogan of "gotta catch 'em all" under it. It wasn't very sexy, she knew, but Happy would have to appreciate the fact that the clothing was easy to remove. There wasn't going to be messing around with buttons or laces or anything of the like.

She brushed out her hair before she grabbed her hair dryer so she could dry her hair.

She wondered what kind of lover Happy was. She could see him being completely dominant over the situation. She could see how he would twist and turn her in any way that he wanted to bring pleasure to him just as much as her.

She could also see how he could be so gentle, so giving during the whole thing making the moment about her more than him.

She wasn't sure which she wanted more.

She wanted to savor him for as long as possible. She wanted to feel every inch of him for as long as possible. But she wanted him to take her hard and fast so she could reach her peak like her body had been begging for.

She walked out into the dorm and dug through her duffle for a pair of socks. She slid them on then reached for her pair of shoes then slid them on as well. She tied them just tight enough to where they could stay on, but loose enough to where they could be slid off easily. She hoped that they were done in church already. She had taken her time in the shower so they would have enough time to, but there were times that church lasted for hours if something was going on in the club.

She was always curious about what went on behind those doors. Decisions that altered the club as a whole was made behind those doors. The fate of others were decided. History was made behind those doors. She always wanted to sit in on one of the meetings, just to see how it went, but she knew she would never be able to do that being a woman.

She stood then gathered up all of the bags that had her game systems and cables inside. She figured she could go ahead and hook everything up even though she probably wasn't going to be able to play that night since she had plans with Happy. She bit her lip as excitement coursed through her system again. She glanced at the clock on Happy's side of the bed. It was getting a little late, but that didn't really matter since she didn't have school the next day.

She opened the door that led out into the hallway and shut the door behind her. She heard the familiar sounds of Travis screaming in the room they were keeping him in. She felt the hair on the back of her neck stand on end. Her heart started fluttering. She glanced down the hallway towards the main room then took a step in that direction, but another desperate cry stopped her. She glanced back at the door and bit her lip.

She had known that there were times that the club would take someone and hold them until they gave the information that the club needed at the time, but she never knew how they got it from them. She figured they would eventually talk, but sometimes, she was sure they would need to be coerced.

She reached the door and placed her hand against the door after placing her electronics on the floor next to the door. She could hear the screaming on the other side. It still sounded like he had been gagged since the screams weren't all that loud. She reached down and grabbed the doorknob. She gave it a quiet twist to find that it had been left unlocked. She took another quick glance down the hallway to see if there was anyone watching her. Luckily, she was still all alone in the hallway.

Every fiber of her being was screaming at her. Telling her not to do what she was about to do, but she ignored it as she opened the door and peered inside. She felt a jolt of shock shoot through her entire system as she saw Travis and the state he was in. The chair he was sitting in had armrests that his wrists were tied to. He had a gag in his mouth with a thick piece of duct tape over it.

His face was beaten beyond recognition. His hair was sticking up in every direction as if someone had been grabbing at it. His clothes were torn. There were deep gashes in his face and arms as if there were chunks of meat missing. The room smelled of shit and piss and blood.

They were torturing him.

She heard movement around in the main room so she hurried and stepped inside the room. She closed the door quietly. Travis watched her curiously. She supposed she was the last person he expected to see in the room. She stared back at him just as curious, but she was mostly curious about why she was even there.

She avoided his gaze as much as she could. She glanced over at a small table that sat near Travis. The table was filled with all kinds of surgical tools that looked like the belonged on the set of a horror movie. She tried to fight the uncomfortable feeling of the memories of her past flashing through her mind, but there was nothing she could do. She could almost feel the hot steel. She could smell the hot, nasty breath of lack of hygiene and chewing tobacco. She could smell the burning flesh. She could hear the sizzle of flesh.

That little voice in her head was now shrieking in her mind, telling her to get the hell out of there, to just push the memory out and pretend that it had never happened. But she just couldn't leave him there. She knew what it was like. She knew the fear that Travis was feeling. She knew the feeling of desperation.

"I'm going to let you go," she whispered as she stepped forward. She look of utter confusion on Travis's face most likely matched her own. It was as if she was running on autopilot. She tore off the tape first then pulled the cloth from his mouth. Travis coughed a couple times, then tried his best to wet his mouth.

"Thank you," he rasped in a dry voice. Shayla didn't answer him. He shouldn't have thanked her. She shouldn't have even been there. She needed to stop what she was doing. It wasn't too late to put the cloth back then tape it back and leave. That was all she had to do.

She knelt down in front of him then started to untie his feet from the legs of the chair he was in. She untied one, then the other.

She glanced up at him to find him still watching her in wonder, but she broke the eye contact just as fast as it locked. She reached up and grabbed the ropes that was around his wrists. She freed one then the other. She stood up quickly and took a couple steps back so she would be out of his reach, but she wasn't fast enough.

Travis reached out with lightning speed and grabbed her wrist. He used her weight to pull him up out of the chair. He reached for one of the blades on the table then held it up to her.

"I'm going to get out of here," Travis said, his voice sounding a little better now that he was able to wet his mouth. "And you're going to make sure that I make it."

Shayla knew she shouldn't have let him go. She knew she shouldn't have went to the door. She knew she was going to regret everything she was doing.

"Now be a good girl for a change and do exactly as I tell you," Travis told her. He turned her around and told her to open the door. She figured it was within her best interest to listen to him so she did. She led him out into the hallway. "Keep walking," Travis demanded.

Shayla stepped forward quietly and obediently. She clenched her fists as she walked along. She glanced at Happy's door as they walked by. She could have dove inside of the dorm and grabbed the gun that Happy kept in the top drawer of his desk. She could have defended herself, but she just kept on walking.

She stepped out into the main room to see Juice wiping down tables with his back to them. Shayla was sure to take heavier steps so she could be heard. Juice glanced back at them then did a double take. He turned on them fully then screamed for the others that were still inside their meeting.

Tig opened the door to the chapel and poked his head out. His eyes widened upon seeing his Princess in the clutches of Travis.

"Son of a bitch!" he spat as he stepped out of the room. He drew his gun. Shayla felt Travis grab her shoulder and jerked her against him. She felt the cold steel of the blade he had grabbed against her neck.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you," he said as loud as he could. Tig moved out of the way so the others could come out of the room as well. When Happy stepped out of the room, the darkness in his eyes seemed to make the entire room a little darker. She watched him while he moved in as close as he could before Travis pressed the blade against her neck a little harder. She was sure she was going to have a scrape from the blade.

"You need to just think about what you're doin' here, Travis," Clay said calmly as he held one of his hands up.

"Oh, I know exactly what I'm doing here, Clay," Travis spat. "I'm getting the fuck out of here."

"That's not gonna happen," Happy growled. Shayla saw Chibs move in closer as he stepped by the pool table. Shayla watched as he picked up one of the pool balls then touched his finger to his nose. Shayla lowered her head a little since it was the closest motion to a nod that she could do.

"Oh, it's happening, because if it doesn't, I'm gonna kill this little bitch just like I should have the moment she stepped foot in Tacoma," Travis told him. Happy snarled as he tried to move closer, but Travis moved the blade across her throat just enough to draw blood. She flinched at the feeling of the steel breaking her skin, but she didn't give Travis the pleasure of a sound.

"We'll let you leave, but you gotta let Shayla go," Clay offered.

"Like you're not gonna follow as soon as I leave the parking lot," Travis countered.

"We'll give you a three hour head start," Clay negotiated, "You just gotta let Shayla go." Travis paused for a moment as if he was considering his words. "Three hours is more than enough time to get to Canada. It's more than fair." Travis moved towards the front of the clubhouse again. He was sure to stay behind Shayla so there was no chance for the others to take a shot of him. Each time one of them moved to a different angle, Travis would adjust so he wouldn't be able to be a target.

Shayla waited patiently for the opening. She hoped that Travis would let her go. The blade was getting quite uncomfortable against her skin. Shayla felt her heart drop as the realization hit her that in that moment, she could die. All it would take would take is the blade going just an inch or so deeper and she would bleed out and die before anyone would have a chance to call 911. She fought the urge to swallow.

She was suddenly pushed forward and she heard the shuffle of Travis making a run for the door.

"Shay, stop him!" Chibs called out as he tossed the pool ball in his hand to her. The ball soared through the air and landed easily in her hand. She turned just as she gripped the ball. She stood in the proper pitching stance, then wound her arms around, before letting the pool ball fly from her hand.

The pitch went straight towards him at lightning speed. The pool ball smacked him in the back so hard that Travis fell forward. He landed on his face with a gasp. He tried to scream but the pitch had taken his breath away from him. He gasped for air a couple times as a couple blurs of black leather rushed passed her to get to Travis.

She watched as they brought Travis to his feet, then she felt hands on her cheeks to bring her attention to Chibs. He lifted her chin so he could see the small cut along her throat. She glanced over as Happy approached the two of them. Travis was led back to the room. Shayla said nothing as Chibs ran his fingers across the wound.

"It looks worse than what it actually is. I'll get this cleaned up for ya and you'll be a'right," Chibs said patting her cheek. "That pitch was a little slow, luv." Shayla rolled her eyes.

"Pool balls are heavier than softballs," she reasoned with him. "But you're right, I feel like I could have thrown that harder. Maybe I do need training." Chibs nodded then walked away from her to find a first aid kit to get her cleaned up.

Happy stepped in front of her and placed a gentle hand on her cheek. Shayla didn't want to look at him. She just couldn't. She was ashamed of herself and she knew they were getting ready to lay into her for what she had done. She was so stupid.

"I'm sorry," she whispered. Happy stepped in closer to her then placed his hand on the back of her head. Shayla rested her head against his chest lightly.

"It's not your fault," he said lowly. Shayla backed away from him and looked down at his boots.

"Yes, it is," she told him quietly. Happy looked at her curiously. "I let him go." Happy's entire expression fell as he backed away from her. Shayla braced herself.

"You did what!" he screamed at her. Everyone's attention was brought to them as Happy exploded. "Are you fucking stupid? What the fuck were you thinking?" Shayla covered her ears to block out some of the reverberations his voice was bringing to her ears. Her whole body was tense and she felt as if she were only an inch tall. "You knew better than to go into that room! You knew better than to even go near it! And you go in there and you LET HIM GO?"

Shayla knew what she had done was wrong. She didn't need Happy screaming at her so he could remind her. But Happy wouldn't understand. He couldn't understand what was going through her mind when she released him the way she did.

"You wouldn't understand," she said in a small voice. Happy scoffed loudly.

"You're right, I wouldn't understand," he said in a calmer tone. Shayla looked up at him with hopeful eyes. Maybe he wouldn't be so mad at her anymore. "I wouldn't be able to begin to understand how someone like you could be so goddamn stupid!"

Happy continued to scream at her. He continued to tell her how stupid she had been for letting him go. Shayla felt her eyes burning with tears. She couldn't take it anymore. Hot tears began to fall down her cheeks so she closed her eyes to keep them from falling, but it didn't help. She wanted him to stop. She felt horrible enough. She didn't need Happy to make her feel even more terrible for what she had done.

"Stop!" she cried out over Happy's voice. "Just stop!" It came out in a sob. She shook her head a little as she pressed her hands to her ears. "I know it was stupid, but you wouldn't understand! I went in there and saw him like that and I just… I just… I couldn't leave him like that!" She let out a sob. "I just couldn't. He looked so awful! So helpless! You wouldn't understand. Someone like you could never understand!" She paused for a moment so she could sniffle a couple times.

"Who did that to him? Who tortured him?" she asked looking up at Happy. Happy frowned at her then looked to Clay. Clay gave a curt nod telling him it was okay to tell Shayla. Happy looked back to her with the same frown then took a deep breath.

"I did," he confirmed. Shayla's mouth dropped open as she stared up at him and Happy saw the one thing that he never wanted to see on Shayla's face; fear. She was afraid of him. He never wanted her to be scared. Not of him. It was why he kept certain things from her. Shayla shook her head as if she didn't want to believe it.

Fresh tears began to fall.

"You're a monster," she snapped at him then pushed passed him quickly. Happy felt like he had been shot by her words. He tried to ignore the pain he felt in his chest mostly because the pain confused him. He bit down on nothing as he turned around to see where she had gone. She had run to Tig who had wrapped her up in his arms protectively. She sobbed into his chest loudly.

Happy scowled at her back then looked away from them. He stomped off towards the hall so he could be alone. He didn't want the wandering eyes of SAMCRO on him. He knew what they thought of him when it came to his _methods_. It was the same thing that everyone else thought. They feared him for it. He didn't care if they feared him. If anything, he liked that they feared him.

But with Shayla it was so much different. It confused him how he felt about it. He had never not wanted someone to fear him. He had sheltered her from the way he really was to keep her from being afraid of him, but it had all come out right then and now everything he had worked for was ruined. He had lost Shayla before he ever had her and quite frankly, the feeling that came along with it threw him.

He stepped into his dorm and glanced around at all the shit that Shayla had brought with her after she had gotten off work that evening. He simply just stood there just on the inside of his dorm and the longer he stood there staring at her pile of shit on his bed, the feeling in his chest multiplied and slowly bubbled over into anger.

He stepped over to her stuff, grabbed it, and started throwing it around his dorm with a loud scream.

Outside in the main room, everyone's eyes drifted to the hall that led back to the dorms as they listened to Happy's outburst. Shayla wiped away another tear as Chibs wiped her neck clean. The bleeding had already stopped and, if anything, Shayla would be able to pass it off as a cat scratch or something at work the next day.

Tig sat behind her offering comfort just by his presence. Shayla had her free hand behind her back holding his hand just for the extra assurance that he was there.

"You're going to need to talk to Happy about this, Princess," Tig told her as he looked down the hall towards Happy's dorm when he heard something glass being shattered. Shayla scoffed.

"Talk about what? How he tortures people? Sadistic fuck probably gets off on it," Shayla said as she closed her eyes. The motion made her miss the look that was exchanged by Tig and Chibs.

"It was necessary," Tig said rubbing his chin with his free hand. "Princess, you know we've all done what he's done. We've had to do it. It was the only way we could get what we needed. You can't hold it against him." There was another crash back in Happy's dorm that Shayla chose to ignore. She knew that her boys had done things that they weren't really all that proud of.

"You need to tell him what happened," Chibs told her. Shayla opened her eyes wide at the Scotsman who had finished patching her up.

"What? No!" she told him as she shot up from the barstool she had been placed on. "I can't tell him!"

"How do you expect him to understand if you don't tell him?" Tig countered. Shayla turned on her friend.

"I can't tell him," she told him again. Tig stood to face her.

"And why not?" he pressed.

"Because I don't want him looking at me differently!" she yelled at him. Tig crossed his arms and leaned in closer to her.

"Kinda like how you're looking at him differently right now?" he reminded her. Shayla went to counter, but she choked on the words. Dammit she hated it when he was right. If she and Happy were going to have a relationship, they had to be open with each other. More open than what they were. Happy was beginning to tell her things so there were things she needed to tell him. Even if she didn't want to.

There was more crashing back in the dorms and just as Shayla took a step towards the dorms, there was a realization that hit her just as hard as the object Happy had just broken.

Her school work was in his dorm. Including her laptop. Shayla darted down the hall to his dorm and opened his door. She gasped at the sight before her. He had destroyed everything he could get his hands on. The chair that sat at the desk had been broken against the wall. There was a couple pictures that had sat on his desk in cheap frames of motorcycles he had helped build that had been tossed carelessly.

Her duffle had been tossed leaving her clothes lying everywhere, but that wasn't what she was paying attention to. There at her feet was her laptop. Or at least the screen. The device was in two pieces. Who knew where the keyboard was. Shayla bent and picked up the screen and cradled it in her hands.

All of her school work was saved on that computer. All of her computer classes. All of her graphics classes. All the work she had done was gone. She looked up to Happy who had apparently just noticed her presence. Red rimmed her vision. She charged Happy gripping the screen in her hands so tight that she was sure the broken screen was going to cut her skin, but she didn't care. She brought the screen out and swung it as fast and hard as she could.


	32. Chapter 32

Happy wasn't sure what he saw first, stars or Shayla smacking him across the face with her laptop. Happy had blacked out. The more he thought about how his emotions were making him react, the more they took over to the point to where he reacted on nothing but impulse. He had no idea what was going on, let alone what he had done in order to deserve a laptop across the face.

That was until he became aware of what he had actually done. He had completely destroyed his room. He had thrown everything he could get his hands on and broke everything he could. He looked down at the laptop in Shayla's hands. He had broken her laptop. He realized truly what he had done.

"You son of a bitch!" she yelled at him. "You broke my computer! I had everything in there! All of my assignments are gone! My entire future was in that laptop and you destroyed it! How could you?!" She came at him again with the laptop screen and swung at him again. Happy blocked the swing.

"Shayla!" Happy said to her. Shayla ignored him as she took another swing at him. Happy blocked her hit again. "Shayla stop!" he told her. She kept swinging, though none of them were actually hurting Happy since he kept blocking her swings.

Tig was suddenly in the doorway and saw what was going on. He rushed in and grabbed Shayla around the waist and jerked her back hard and fast enough that she dropped her laptop on the ground.

"No!" Shayla protested as she struggled in his grasp. "He destroyed everything! It's all gone!"

Tig set her down in front of him and was sure to keep between her and Happy. Tig was surprised that Happy hadn't put Shayla on her ass. Happy wasn't the type of man to lay his hands on a woman, but he wouldn't hesitate knocking a bitch on her ass if she was beating on him.

"What the hell is going on here?" Tig asked glancing between the two of them. Shayla pointed an accusing finger at Happy.

"That ass hole broke my computer. All of my school work was on that computer!" Shayla yelled.

"You can't pull it off there?" Tig asked. He really didn't know that much when it came to computers, but he was sure there was a way she could save what she had on there.

"Only if he didn't destroy the harddrive, which he probably did! Look at it, Tig, the damned thing is in pieces!" Shayla yelled motioning her hand to a random spot in the room. Tig glanced in the direction, but he didn't see the pieces she was talking about.

"You're going to have to calm down, Princess," Tig told her as he tried to reach out to her. Shayla slapped his hands away.

"Don't you tell me to be calm! Don't you dare! I have had it with Tacoma! I have had it with Happy! I have had it with this whole damned club!" Shayla's lip quivered as she took a deep breath. She had to take a pause. She couldn't believe what she had just said. She wasn't even sure if she meant it. It had just come out.

"You know you don't mean that," Tig told her in a low voice. The hurt in his blue eyes nearly shattered Shayla's heart, but it was too late. It was already out there.

"I do mean it! The only reason why I came to this god forsaken place was to get Gemma off my ass and so I could have the club at my back! And a lot of good it's done! All the club has done for me since I've been here is threaten my life, steal all my money, and hold me back from doing my school work! That shit is my future and all you're doing is hindering me!"

She would have kept going, she still had things she wanted to say, but she couldn't. Tig had stepped forward and wrapped his arms around her as tight as he could. It was as if he was trying to shield her from the rest of the world with his embrace. Shayla wrapped her arms around his waist and held him just as tight.

"I'm so sorry that this happened like this, Princess and I'm sorry that I couldn't be there for you when you needed me most. We're trying to make this right," he said, trying to make her feel better, but he knew there wasn't much that he could say to do that. She was on the verge of having a mental breakdown and there was nothing that could stop her once it happened. The best thing to do was to let her go through it, then just be there to pick her up once she was done.

"No," Happy spoke up behind them. Shayla pulled away from Tig and looked up at him for a moment as if she had forgotten that Happy was in the room. Tig stood to the side so Shayla could see him as well. "We _are_ gonna make this right. _I'm_ gonna make this right." Shayla watched him cautiously for a moment before a small grin tugged at the corners of her lips.

"I hope you do, Hap, because if you don't, this relationship is over," she told him. She didn't give him a chance to respond to her. She looked up at Tig. "I'm tired. I'm crashing with you tonight." Tig smirked down at her.

"Does that mean I'm going to be getting that sex that was supposed to be for Hap tonight?" Tig joked. Shayla snorted and patted his chest.

"Not a chance, Tigger," she told him as she turned towards the door.

"Ah, come on, just because Happy's an ass hole doesn't mean I get cut off too!" he whined. Shayla chuckled and shot a look over her shoulder.

"Yes, it does, because you're an ass hole, too," she told him then cut the corner to head towards the dorm that he was using while he was staying in Tacoma. Tig looked back to Happy just as Happy sat at the end of his bed. He took a quick look around the room to see the damage he had caused.

"I hope you know what you're doing. I have never seen her this mad," Tig said crossing his arms.

"I'm gonna make it right," Happy promised. "Somehow."

"You can start by buying her a new computer," Tig said looking down at the piece of laptop that Shayla had dropped when he had grabbed her. Happy looked down at the pieces as well. It was a good suggestion that he buy her a new computer and if that was where he needed to start, then so be it. He just wondered how much that was going to put him back.

Considering that it was going to be him taking care of her until she had money rolling in again, he was going to be hurting for a while. He most likely had enough put back in his savings to where he could cover the cost of her laptop, but that would still not be able to help with the work that she had lost.

"The Prospect is good with computers, I'll send him back here to see if there is anything we can save off this computer. Maybe if we can save the harddrives, she won't be so upset anymore," Tig said as he made his way to the door. He stopped at the door and turned back to Happy. "Are you okay?"

Happy narrowed his eyes at his friend in question. Tig shrugged.

"Never seen you lose it like this, brutha," Tig explained. Happy huffed. Honestly, Happy didn't know how to answer his question. Tig was right, he had never lost his shit like that before. Happy was always able to keep a level head. Tig chuckled at Happy's lack of response and gave him a look as if he knew something Happy didn't.

"I know my Princess, Hap, and I know she won't stay mad forever. She just needs to get it out of her system," Tig said then walked out of the room and closed the door behind him. Happy took a quick breath then bent to start grabbing things that were within reach. It was mostly Shayla's things that he had thrown since she had the most stuff. Happy wasn't very materialistic when it came to life while Shayla was the opposite.

He had started with grabbing the clothes that had managed to slip out of Shayla's duffle and started tossing them on the bed. Once all of the clothes were gathered up, his room looked a lot better. He stepped around and grabbed the little pieces of memorabilia that he had tossed around. A light knock came to his door.

"It's open!" he called out then the door opened. The Prospect stepped in and took a quick look around the room.

"Wow, dude, didn't realize you were so messy," he said as he stepped in. Happy glared at him, but didn't respond. Instead, he picked up the piece of laptop and handed it to the Prospect.

"I need you to see if you can pull anything off this computer for Shayla," Happy told him. The Prospect flipped the computer over in his hands to the bottom panel.

"Yeah, I got my tools with me. I'll be back," he said turning out of Happy's room. Happy continued to gather everything up in the room. Once his floor was nice and clean, he started folding up Shayla's clothes. He had told her to go ahead and hang her clothes in his closest, but he figured with everything that was going on, it would be a good idea to let her make the decision.

Shayla leaned back in Tig's bed and put her joint to her lips. She took a slow, long draw off it. She had thought about giving her therapist a call, but how could she possibly explain to him that the reason her emotions were going haywire was because she discovered that her boyfriend was torturing someone for information? He would have called the cops, patient/doctor confidentiality be damned.

It didn't matter if Dr. Danvers was club friendly or not.

She wasn't sure how to process the information about Happy. She had felt so safe with him. She just knew that he would be able to protect her if the moment arose, but now she wasn't so sure since he was the one causing the pain. Tig had told her that Happy doing that was necessary and maybe it was, but that didn't change the fact that she somewhat feared Happy now. She didn't want to fear him.

She knew what Tig told her was the truth. Everyone she knew in the club had done what Happy had done before. She didn't like having that kind of knowledge and maybe it was just a little too much for her. She didn't want to think about anybody in the club differently, but how could she not? After everything that had happened to her, after everything she had suffered how could she not think about them differently?

Especially Tig.

He was the one that she trusted the most, even more than what she trusted Happy and he had told her that even he had done it. She didn't want to think about all the pain and suffering they had put people through, but the thought still invaded her mind.

The joint was smoked about halfway when she felt she had had enough. She placed the joint in the ashtray next to his bed and snuggled down into the blankets. She covered her head and close your eyes as tight as she could, hoping that sleep would manage to find her.

She wasn't sure if she had managed to get any sleep by the time Tig had walked into the room. She tried to pretend that she was asleep, but she knew that Tig knew she was awake. She snored and she wasn't snoring.

"Have you decided whether or not you're going to tell Happy about what happened to you or not?" Tig asked as he sat on the edge of the bed. Shayla huffed as she rolled over on her back. She took the blanket off of her head and placed it around her waist. She stared at the ceiling for what seemed like hours before she finally answered.

"I guess there's not going to be any way around it. He has to know now especially after what happened tonight. He didn't deserve what I had said to him, well he did, but he has to know that I really didn't mean it, I was just scared," she said picking at the edge of the blanket.

Tig sighed as he pulled down the blanket and climbed into bed next to her. Shayla rolled on her side and wrapped her arms around his waist and pressed her head against his chest. She wanted comfort. While Tig did provide a certain level, she wanted more comfort that only happy could give.

She hated that she felt that way because she loved Tig with all of her heart. He had been there for her on numerous occasions, even when she didn't deserve it. Just like tonight. She had bad mouthed the club bad mouthed everyone. She didn't deserve anything they did for her, not anymore.

"How do I tell him?" she whispered to him.

Tig wrapped his arms around her waist and held her tight against him. He ran his fingers through her hair slowly making sure he didn't pull any of the knots out. He wasn't sure exactly what he needed to say to her so he just held her. Sometimes that was all he could do.

Slowly, Shayla began to relax in his arms and she drifted off into a light sleep. He hoped she wouldn't have any night terrors because if there was going to be anything that triggered one it was the events that happened that night. His little Princess had been through so much in the short time that she had spent in Tacoma and he hated that he wasn't there to protect her from it, but he hated it even more that Happy had abandoned her when she needed him most. Just because he was trying to shield her from the club.

He recalled the time that she had been admitted that she felt safe with him and now tonight she said she was afraid. He thought she would never get to the point that he wouldn't be able to protect her, to make her feel safe, but he supposed he was wrong. And he hated being wrong.

He wasn't sure what was going to happen after tonight. He wasn't sure how long SAMCRO was going to be in town. He just knew that he needed to be there for her for the time that he was there and hopefully by the time it was time for them to leave her and Happy would be okay and then he wouldn't sleep be able to sleep at night knowing that she was protected.

Happy stepped out into the main room of the clubhouse after he had straightened up his room. The Prospects sat at the bar with a screwdriver and Shayla's laptop while he took it apart. Clay and Jax were off by themselves whispering things to each other that he didn't know, but he knew that they were talking about him. As soon as he stepped into the room, both of them looked towards him, then looked away with looks of utter disappointment. Whether it was disappointment in him or the situation eluded him.

Happy stepped over to the bar and stood next to the Prospect. He was pretty impressed with the little shit. He was able to take the laptop apart with an ease that not even Shayla was capable of.

"Looks like the hard drive is going to make it. We'll just need to get a new laptop, shove this bad boy in there and she'll be ready to go," the prospect told him as he slid the hard drive out.

"And how much exactly does one of these cost?" Happy asked as I sat down on the stool next to him.

"About fifteen hundred give or take," the Prospect said with a shrug of a shoulder.

Happy huffed. He was definitely going to have to be dipping into his savings to in order to get the laptop replaced. He hated that he had lost control. Control was something that he always had and with one simple word he had lost it completely.

_Monster._

"You're going to come with me tomorrow to get her a new computer since you know what you're doing," Happy told him and the Prospect nodded in agreement.

"No problem, but do you really think this is going to fix everything between you and Shayla?" the Prospect inquired.

"That's none of your fucking business," Happy growled as he stood from his bar stool.

"Actually," the prospect said, "it is my business. Shayla is my friend and all I want for her is to be happy and if you can't do that then you don't deserve her."

Happy paused for a moment and studied the Prospect before him. He debated whether or not he should actually answer before he made his decision.

"You forget your place Prospect. Do you want me to put you back there?" Happy asked.

The Prospect frowned at Happy then turned his attention back to the laptop. It was clear that he had more to say, but as a prospect he wasn't allowed. Happy walked over to Jax and Clay who stopped talking by the time he was within earshot. It annoyed him that they were so obviously talking about him, but he pushed it aside.

"I guess Shay is crashing with Tig tonight," Clay mentioned as a way of starting up a conversation. Happy shrugged as an answer.

"We need to talk about what happened," Jax mentioned.

"I'm not in the mood to talk," Happy spat.

"Then you can listen," Clay told him. Happy felt tense.

"I know what Shayla did was wrong. She had no business even being anywhere near that door, but the way you handled it, it could have been a whole lot different," Jax said. Happy glared at Jax.

"Yeah, I should have kicked her ass," Happy grumbled crossing his arms.

"The way you talked down to my sister like that, you're lucky I didn't kick yours," Jax hissed at him. Happy turned his body towards Jax as they attempted to square off with each other, but Clay stopped them before it escalated.

"She could have been killed," Happy said looking to Clay. "And it would have been her fucking fault."

"I understand that, Hap, but the way you handled it isn't how we handle these types of situations with her," Clay reasoned with him. Happy gave Clay an incredulous look.

"I don't give a fuck how you would have handled it. She's my woman and she done something stupid. I'm not going to tiptoe around her feelings just because she's your daughter," Happy roared.

"That's not the point, Hap," Chibs said as he came into the conversation. Happy scoffed as he shook his head.

"The point is that you guys are trying to tell me how to handle my relationship with Shayla and I'll be damned if you're gonna do that." Clay opened his mouth to say something, but Happy held his hand up. "I'm done talking about this. No one is gonna tell me how I need to handle shit when it comes to me and her."

Happy turned on his heel and walked back to his dorm.

Clay ran his hand over his face and looked to his step son. Jax shook his head as he glanced to Chibs.

"Well, that didn't go as planned," Jax said.

"No kiddin'," Chibs said.


	33. Chapter 33

Happy wasn't sure exactly what time he had managed to get to sleep, but all he knew was that he was awakened a couple hours later are the sounds of Shayla screaming. He shot up in bed and look down beside him completely forgetting that she currently wasn't laying next to him. He jumped out of bed and rushed for his door. When he stepped out into the hallway, he saw Clay, Chibs, and Jax running down the hall. Opie was staying in the room across from Tig and was already at the door. Shayla was screaming for help.

Jax and Opie entered the room first while Chibs and Clay waited at the door. Happy approached quickly and stood between the two men. He peered inside the room. Tig was standing at the edge of the bed as he tried console Shayla. Shayla was in the corner of the room screaming and crying, begging for whoever it was to get away to leave her alone. Hot tears streamed down her face. Happy could see her hands trembling her eyes were closed. It was as if she was still asleep.

Tig tried to talk to her but Shayla acted like she couldn't even hear him. Opie knelt next to her and tried to speak. Shayla fell on her side and pushed herself away from him. Jax tried to kneel down in front of her and reached out to touch her, but Shayla slapped his hand away and squealed for him to leave her alone. She begged to no one to stop hurting her. Happy looked to Clay.

"What the fuck is this?" he asked.

"A night terror. She gets these sometimes when she's stressed out. We can try to pull her out of it, but mostly she has to get herself out," Clay explained. Happy glanced back to Shayla. She flailed about as if trying to fight away attackers, but there was no one there. Happy had never seen anything like it before. He had heard about night terrors, but always compared them to nightmares. He wasn't aware there was a difference.

"What do we do?" Happy asked Clay. Clay simply shrugged his shoulders and took a breath.

"There's really nothing we can do. We usually just have to let her go and get it out of her system. Sometimes she wakes up. Sometimes she'll just go back to sleep like nothing ever happened."

Happy wasn't satisfied with Clay's answer. There had to be something they could do. The screams coming from Shayla was enough to send chills down Happy's spine in a way that it had never done before. Opie, Jax, and Tig continued to pull Shayla out of her night terror, but nothing seemed to be helping. Every time one of them would get close to her, she would scream and push them away. They would try to call her name, but she would just shake her head and cover her ears as if the voice she heard was not theirs.

"Why are you doing this to me? I don't understand. Why are you hurting me? Why do you keep doing this? Please, just let me go," Shayla begged to whoever it was that was doing this to her. Clay glanced at Happy out of the corner of his eye, but Happy didn't see it. Happy was too busy staring in wonder.

Happy stepped into the room slowly. He had to do something. He couldn't let Shayla be in pain the way she was. She had already been through enough since she had been in Tacoma. She didn't need to suffer through that alone. He walked past Tog, Opie, and Jax and knelt down in front of Shayla a few feet away.

He said her name lightly and Shayla paused. She took a few quick breaths then it was almost as if she started to calm down a little. Her eyes darted behind her lids quickly as if she was trying to search for his voice but she was unable to see.

"Happy," she whispered.

"I'm here," he reassured her, "I'm right here."

She said his name again as she searched blindly for him. Happy reached out slowly then let his fingers brush across her cheek. She jerked away from his touch at first, but it was as if she actually realized it was him. She leaned forward and reached out for him.

Happy grabbed her wrist then pulled her against him. Shayla still didn't wake up. Happy could feel her body sweating from the nightmare she was having. She had done it a couple of times before when she was having a bad dream but nothing to that level.

He maneuvered her around to where he could pick her up and cradled her in his arms. He turned on everyone ignoring their stares as he walked out of Tig's room. He had managed to get her into his room and laid her in his bed. She was already snoring again. The nightmare was over.

He didn't even bother going back out to talk to anybody else. He simply just laid down next to her and wrapped his arms around her.

He buried his face in her hair and took a deep breath. She smelled a little like Tig where she had been laying with him, but it didn't matter. All he cared about was her being back in his bed where she belonged.

Happy was going to savor the moment for as long as he could because he knew once she woke up the next morning, it wasn't going to be the same.

Happy woke up the next morning before Shayla did. Shayla was still laying next to him. She faced him. She was snoring lightly. Her features were twisted in discomfort as she clutched her pillow tight. Happy wondered if she was still having nightmares. He wondered what they were about. He wondered if they had anything to do with the scars on her back. He couldn't think of them being about anything else.

He rolled onto his side and placed his hand on her cheek. He shushed her quietly. Shayla groaned a little then moved her head to bury her face into the pillow a little. She opened her eyes slowly then looked to Happy. She narrowed her eyes as if it confused her that she was laying next to Happy instead of Tig. She didn't move or pull away from his touch.

"How did I get in here?" she asked.

"You had a bad dream last night," Happy told her. She frowned as looked like she was trying to remember.

"You mean a night terror," she said quietly. Happy hummed the affirmative. "And you saw it." Happy hummed again. Shayla curled up a little more and pulled the blanket around her for comfort.

"I was able to calm you down. I brought you in here to keep it from happening again," he said. Shayla had a small grin grow on her lips as she looked up at Happy. She reached her hand up out of the blankets and wrapped her hand around his.

"Thank you," she whispered. She closed her eyes for a moment. Happy thought that she was going to go back to sleep, but then she spoke. "I'm sorry, Hap. I didn't mean it when I called you a monster. I was just scared," she admitted. Happy sighed as he leaned forward so he could put his forehead to hers. Shayla opened her eyes so she could look him in the eyes.

"I don't want you to be afraid of me, Shayla," he told her. "I would never do anything to hurt you. You know that, right?" Shayla nodded then turned her head a little so she could give his palm a gentle kiss.

"I know, it's just…" She sighed as she pulled his hand away from her face. She laced her fingers with his. "I just saw him… and…" She paused again as she squeezed her eyes shut. She squeezed his fingers with her own.

"You can tell me," Happy assured.

Shayla sighed again as she opened her eyes. She looked in his direction, but it was clear she wasn't looking at him. She was looking through him. She swallowed hard.

"You need to know," she said as she suddenly sat up. "I don't want you to know, but after last night…" She took a moment to lift her shirt over her head to show Happy the scars.

"These scars are why I have night terrors. They're why I freaked out on you and called you a monster," she said. Happy leaned up on his arm and touched them. Shayla stiffened under his touch. The scar tissue felt soft under his touch. He ran his fingers across each one that were criss crossed among her flesh.

"Who put them there?" Happy asked. Shayla shrugged her shoulder.

"I don't know," she replied. Happy narrowed his eyes as he sat up the rest of the way.

"What do you mean?" he asked. Shayla looked at him out of the corner of her eye.

"They never told me who they were or why they did it."

Happy lowered his gaze from her. Anger surged through his body. He took a deep breath to keep it from surfacing. He tried to think logically about what she had just told him, but the red that rimmed his vision started fading into black.

"Are they still alive?" he managed to ask. Shayla nodded.

"They got away. The club can't find them," she said as she drew her knees up into her chest. "They tied me to a chair and they took rebar…" She bit her lip and took a breath. "And they put it in a furnace until it burned red then laid it across my back."

Happy closed his eyes. He understood now. He understood why she went into that room and let Travis go. When she went in there, she didn't see the traitor that was the SAMTAC president, she saw herself in that chair. She wasn't calling Happy a monster, she was calling those maniacs monsters. That was why she had a night terror. Happy had triggered a traumatic experience from her past.

"How old were you?" Happy asked. Shayla looked over to him.

"Thirteen."

"Jesus," Happy muttered. He reached out to her and wrapped his arms around her. He pulled her to him and squeezed her. "I swear, I will find every last one of those assholes and make them suffer. They will feel everything they did to you and then some."

Shayla chuckled as she nuzzled into his chest.

"I know you will, Happy," she said running her fingers across his chest. "Are you still mad at me?" Happy scoffed.

"Are you still afraid of me?" he asked. Shayla looked up at him.

"I wasn't afraid of you. I was afraid of the situation, I think. I'm not afraid of you, Hap. I'm more afraid of losing you if I do something stupid like I did last night," she admitted. Happy kissed her lips gently.

"I thought I was going to lose you last night," he said. Shayla tilted her head a little in question. "He had a knife to your throat, Shayla. If he would have cut you, there would have been nothing we could do." He paused for a moment. "I wasn't angry with you. I was scared that I was going to lose you. I was afraid he was going to kill you and I was going to watch."

Shayla's heart thudded in her chest. She couldn't believe that Happy admitted to something like being afraid. And being afraid of losing her of all things. She didn't think Happy could be afraid of anything. She reached up and kissed his lips again.

"Well, I'm not going anywhere," she told him.

"Neither am I," he replied. He kissed her once more. "I'm taking the Prospect with me today to get you a new laptop. He said he was gonna be able to save the hard drive so all your work for school is going to be on there."

"What about the money? You said it was going to be pretty tight for a while," she said leaning away from him.

"You going to school is more important than my bank account. I'm getting you a new laptop," he said. Shayla grinned up at him.

"You are pretty amazing, do you know that?" she asked nuzzling into him. "I don't have to be at work until four o'clock since I hit commission in one day. Can I go with you?"

Happy glanced at the clock. It was nearly ten in the morning. He grinned then looked back down at her.

"Four o'clock you said?" Happy inquired. Shayla chuckled then nodded. Happy made a move to kiss her, but Shayla pulled away from him.

"Now don't go getting ideas, Mr. Lowman," she scolded lightly. Happy narrowed his eyes at her. "Just because I told you that I'm not going anywhere, doesn't mean I'm still not upset with you. You still need to make this right." Happy growled.

"I told you I was gonna buy you a new laptop," he said as she slid out of his reach.

"Saying and actually doing are two completely different things," she said as a matter of fact. Happy growled again and all but pouted.

"You're fucking killing me," he told her, but all the knowledge did for Shayla was made her giggle. Shayla turned to the closet and opened it up. She hummed at what she had found.

Happy had hung all of her shirts up and placed them all on the right side of his closet and left all of his shirts on the left. She looked down to find her duffle bags empty so he had found a place for all of her clothes. She glanced at Happy over her shoulder then nearly jumped out of her skin to see him standing right behind her.

"Thank you," she said then started going through her shirts. She found a black tank top with REAPER written across the chest then grabbed a red button up to put on over it.

"Underwear is in the top drawer, pants and pajamas, second and third," he confirmed before she even asked. Shayla nodded as she turned towards the dresser that Happy mentioned. She dug through the drawers and pulled out the rest of the clothing she needed to get ready for the day.

She looked back to Happy to say something to him, but she came up short when she saw him. He was staring blankly into the closet. His hand was resting on the edge of the door. He was gripping it so tight that his fingertips were completely white. She sighed with a grin.

"Hey," she said getting his attention. Happy glanced at her. "We're okay." Happy rolled his eyes.

"You're not the one with blue balls," he grumbled as he finally reached in his closet to rip a shirt off the hanger. She giggled.

"Don't worry, Hap," she said as she put her bra on. "You'll get tired of me soon enough and you can go back to having any and all the pussy you want." She slid her tank top on. Shayla heard the closet door slam and when she pulled the shirt down over her face, she didn't have enough time to Happy grabbing her and shoving her up against the wall.

He brought a hand to the back of her head and pulled on her hair hard enough to force her head back. Shayla gasped as he forced it back. Her heart jumped into her throat then continued to beat so fast it made it hard for her to breathe.

He lowered his head to her throat and began peppering her with light kisses. Bolts of electricity shot through her body starting where his lips touched then stopped where her most sensitive areas were. She bit her lip as she let her eyes flutter closed. She let out a slight whimper as he gripped her hip with his free hand.

His thumb went under her shirt and brushed against the nautical stars that Shayla figured was one of his favorite tattoos that she had. Shayla reached up and placed her hands on his upper arms so she could have something hold her up. She felt her knees growing weaker with each of his kisses and knew it wasn't going to take much more for them to give out all together.

Happy bit her throat to distract Shayla long enough for his hand that was teasing the star to go down the front of her pants and press the tips of two of his fingers against her clit. Shayla released an odd sound that was a mixture of a gasp and a whimper. She thrust her hips against his fingers with a moan.

Happy lifted his head so he could watch her. His eyes were full of lust and satisfaction. Shayla moved her legs further apart to give him more access to her while she swirled her hips against his fingers, but Happy never moved. He just stood before her, hand still forcing her head back while his fingers stayed still while pressed against her.

"Do you have any idea how wet you are right now?" Happy asked her, though Shayla was barely able to focus on his question. She dug her fingers into his arms and squeezed her eyes shut. She tried to thrust her hips forward so his fingers would slip inside her, but his fingers never did. She whimpered in protest.

"Happy," she begged him. Happy smirked. He could hear every last request in his name as it left her lips. She wanted him inside of her. She wanted more than just his fingers. She wanted him to make her scream. She started moving her hips faster.

He could feel her natural juices growing thicker and spreading between her legs. He felt it starting to cover his fingers as the friction started to give way to smooth ministrations. He felt her body begin to twitch. He knew she was starting to get close. Her fingers gripped his arms a little tighter. She opened her eyes a little so she could look up at him. She bit her lip as she made all kinds of noises signifying the pleasure she was feeling.

Then Happy stopped.

He withdrew his fingers, released her hair, then stepped out of her reach. The movement was so sudden that Shayla had to catch herself on the wall.

"What the fuck?" she hissed at him. Her cheeks were flushed from what she had been doing with his fingers. Happy ignored her. Instead he was looking at his fingers that were covered in her juices. He spread his fingers and watched as her slick webbed between his fingers.

He looked to Shayla who watched him curiously. Then he brought his fingers to his lips and began to lick them clean. Shayla's eyes widened and grew darker as she watched him. They both stayed quiet until Happy's fingers were clean.

"If I can't cum, then neither can you," he told her. Shayla whimpered in protest at his words then Happy turned away.

"Hap, wait," Shayla called out immediately. Happy glanced back at her. Shayla gulped as if she had to swallow her arousal. "Do you have a condom?"

"Always."

"Then finish what you started," Shayla demanded. Happy smirked as he turned to face her. He walked back to her and placed a hand on the back of her neck. He kissed her lips in such a way that it sucked away Shayla's breath just as they usually did. Happy broke the kiss, but kept his lips near hers.

"On your knees then," he demanded and he felt Shayla shudder under his touch.


	34. Chapter 34

Shayla felt her cheeks burst into flames as she glanced down between them. Happy's erection was showing proud and true through his pajama bottoms. It didn't take a rocket scientist to see that he was bigger than what she was used to. She looked up to Happy nervously. The hand on the back of her neck shifted so it could cup her cheek.

"Just watch your teeth and do whatever feels comfortable," he encouraged. He knew she wasn't experienced. Charlie always told her that she was no good at it. Even though he always asked for one.

She pushed those thoughts out of her head as she ran her finger tips up his chest. She swallowed as she looked into his eyes as she began to mentally prepare herself for what she was about to do. She tried to beat it into her brain that she needed to keep her teeth apart so she didn't scrape him. She had to focus on keeping her lips tight around him as she moved her head. She could use her tongue for extra stimulation.

"If I'm doing anything wrong, tell me," she requested from him. Happy shook his head a little with a grin before he nodded. Happy had told her to go slow, so she decided to listen to him. She reached up to kiss his lips gently. Her hands continued to travel upwards until they went over his shoulders and up the back of his head. She felt the small hairs on his head prickling her fingertips from where he hadn't shaved his head yet.

His tongue brushed against her lips asking for entrance. Shayla opened her mouth and met his tongue with her own. Their tongues twirled around each other as if it had locked the two of them together. She sighed into his mouth as his arms wrapped around her loosely. They kissed each other slowly, savoring their tastes and how it changed once their saliva mixed together.

Shayla tried to keep her breathing and her hands steady but she was certain that she was failing. She was a nervous wreck. She wanted to sleep with Happy more than anything else in the world, but there was that small whisper in the back of her head that told her she wasn't going to be good enough for him.

As if Happy could sense her thoughts, he reached one of his hands up and behind his head so he could grab her hand. He broke the kiss as he brought her hand around so he could look at it. He ran his thumb across her skin lightly then pressed her hand to his chest.

"You're shaking," he stated. Shayla blushed as she looked down at her hand. So much for trying to hide her nervousness. She bit her lip as she leaned forward and pressed her forehead against the snake on his chest.

"I don't know why I'm so nervous, it's not like I've not wanted this for forever," she said shamefully.

"We'll take this as slow as you want," he assured her. She looked up at him with almost pleading eyes.

"Then can we not start this off with a blow job? I'm not very confident with them," she mentioned. Happy chuckled.

"We can do that later, c'mon," he said as he stepped backwards towards the bed. Shayla followed along wordlessly. "Take off your clothes and lay down on the bed." Shayla nodded as her fingers gathered up the bottom of her shirt and lifted it up. She tossed it in the floor somewhere behind her. Happy reached behind her and with a quick flick of his fingers, her bra came loose and she slid it down her shoulders. It landed on the floor between them. She pushed her pants down with her underwear in a swift motion then stepped out of them.

She felt a little exposed to him considering that he was still clothed in his pajama bottoms, but she knew it wasn't going to last long. Happy would join her. She crawled onto the bed slowly making sure to move as sensually as she could. She wanted to be attractive and she hoped she was doing a good job of it. She looked over her shoulder to see if Happy was enjoying the show. Happy watched her with a grin while he stroked himself through his pants slowly.

She rolled over on her back as she got to the pillows and rested her head on them. She adjusted them to where they were both under her head so she could stay propped up enough to where she could see him and what he was doing. She could still feel her body shaking, but the nervousness was starting to bleed over into anticipation.

Happy released himself as he crawled onto the bed. Shayla opened her legs for him so he could slip in between them. However, Happy stopped at her feet then sat on his knees. He looked over her body carefully.

"I want you to touch yourself like you did that one night you sent me that text," he told her. Shayla tilted her head a little in confusion.

"What do you mean?" she asked.

"The text where you said you bet I had better fingers than you did," he reminded her. She bit her lip with a giggle. She had forgotten about that text. He hadn't even mentioned it to her until then. She brought her hand to her pierced nipple and ran her fingers around it.

"I started off here. I imagined it was your mouth and teeth," she said tweaking her nipple a couple times. Happy smirked. He leaned forward so he could hover over her body. Shayla opened her legs a little more to accommodate him. She gave him a wild look as her heart fluttered in her chest with excitement.

He lowered his head towards her breast making Shayla move her hand for him. Happy ran his tongue around the piercing slowly before taking her entire nipple in his mouth. Shayla hissed at the sensation of the slight suck of his mouth, but it was mostly from how his teeth grazed her soft flesh at the same time. His teeth released her then he circled his tongue around it before pulling away.

Shayla bit her lip as her hands ran up either side of his neck. She rubbed her legs along his thighs slowly while she let out a light giggle.

"My imagination did you no justice," she admitted making Happy chuckle. He lowered his head to kiss her lightly then broke the kiss so he could begin to kiss down her jawline.

"Then what did you do?" Happy asked between kisses. Shayla's body tensed a little from a mixture of excitement and nervousness.

"I started to touch myself. I pretended it was your fingers and mouth," she told him as a blush began to creep back up to her cheeks. Happy looked down between them where her legs were spread. He could see her lips gleaming in the light from her natural juices. He lifted his eyes to her with a smirk.

He placed his hand gently on her throat with his left hand while he ran his right over her breasts. He squeezed and kneaded them both making sure to pinch her nipples on each a few times before his hand traveled farther down. He leaned back enough to where he was no longer hovering above her, but made sure he could still have his hand on her throat. His hand traveled down her stomach slowly. He kept his eyes on hers to watch for any signs of discomfort.

She watched his hand instead as it traveled down her stomach and stopped just above her pubic line. His fingers brushed across the skin lightly making her whimper.

"I do wanna touch you," he told her without breaking eye contact. Then he looked down at her exposed sex hungrily. "But I would much rather eat you."

Happy's hand left her throat then reached for her hand. He picked it up and ran his thumb over the back of her hand.

"You're still shaking," he said quietly.

"I wasn't aware," she admitted. She was so focused on what Happy was doing to realize that she was. She couldn't say if she was still nervous, but she knew she didn't want Happy to stop.

"Can I eat you out?" he asked. Shayla gave him a curious look. It was odd that he would ask her permission. While she appreciated it, she wondered why he felt the need to ask her. She nodded to his question. Happy grinned as he slid down the bed a little so he could settle between her legs. He kissed her abdomen gently around her navel before his lips traveled down.

Happy pulled away from her and lowered his head between her legs. He slipped his tongue between her folds. Shayla's toes curled at the sensation. She pressed her head into the pillow and squeezed her eyes shut. She moaned out his name. His hands went under her thighs and lifted her legs to where they could rest over his shoulders.

He flicked his tongue upward to where it tweaked her clit. The sudden change in sensation made Shayla's hips twitch involuntarily and her breath catch for a moment. Her breath shuddered hard as it mixed with a moan. She had never felt anything like it. Anytime Charlie had gone down on her, she would have to fake it so he would stop, but Happy seemed to know exactly where to touch her.

She ran her hand over his scalp as her hips seemed to move on their own. She could feel her insides begin to quiver as he continued to work his tongue over her. She felt Happy's hand release her thigh then felt his fingers brush against the back of her leg.

She felt his fingers start to touch her opening gently. She looked down at him curious to see what he was doing. He stared up at her gauging her reaction to everything. His eyes were darker than usual. She didn't realize it before, but her breath was labored and the moans and whimpers coming from her mouth were completely forgien. No one had ever made her make those kinds of sounds before.

The whole thing was so intense. Her whole body acted on instinct as Happy pushed her closer to her orgasm. She couldn't control anything she was doing. She had missed the fact that she was scratching at his scalp. She had missed that her toes were nearly cramping they were curled so hard. She had missed the goosebumps that had popped up all over her body.

She felt two fingers slide inside of her while he began sucking on her clit. She gasped as her back arched off the bed. Both her hands slammed into the bed on either side of her and she tugged on the sheets. Her whole body seemed to shiver at his touch. Stars exploded in her vision. She called out a string of incoherent sounds. Her back stayed arched as she moved her hips against him.

Happy pulled away from her then withdrew his fingers. Shayla sprawled out on the bed with a gasp. She looked down to Happy. He licked his lips then ran his hand over his chin to wipe away her juices. He smirked.

"Did you just cum?" he asked her. Shayla scoffed while she panted for air.

"I'm pretty sure I did," she confirmed.

"That was fast," Happy mentioned as he moved up so he could hover over her again. She chuckled as she placed her hands on his cheeks.

"Well this has been building up for a while now. It kind of just happened," she admitted. Happy grinned as he lowered his lips to hers. It was exhilarating to taste herself on his tongue. She was sweet just as much as she was bitter. Happy broke the kiss then looked over to his nightstand.

He pulled open the top drawer and stuck his hand inside. He rummaged around until he found the foil packet he was searching for. He closed the drawer then settled over Shayla again. Shayla reached down and started eagerly pushing his pants down. Happy helped her out by pushing them down the rest of the way. Happy reached for the foil packet and tore it open.

"You're going to have to go easy until I get used to you," Shayla told him gently.

"I will," Happy replied as he pulled the condom from the packet. He reached down between them and slid it on. Shayla swallowed as nervousness gripped her heart again. She hoped Happy would enjoy himself. She wanted nothing more than to please him in the way that he was expecting.

"Are you ready?" he asked her. She nodded as she wrapped her arms around his neck. She pulled him to her and kissed his lips gently. He broke the kiss then guided his cock to her entrance. He teased the opening with the tip before he slid into her. Shayla gasped as he filled her completely.

"Fuck you feel so good," he said as he buried his head into her shoulder. Shayla kissed his neck while he slowly began to move inside her. She dug her nails into his skin. She half expected it to hurt when he first entered her. It usually did whenever her and Charlie engaged in sex, but he rarely gave her a chance to get ready for him. It was new actually feeling the pleasure she was supposed to feel when she was with another man.

She whimpered in his ear as he moved inside her. She wrapped her legs around his thighs to open herself up completely to him as well as change the angle of which he was thrusting. The new angle caused him to brush against a unique spot inside her.

She gasped out his name as she dug her nails into him again. She rested her head back onto the pillow. Happy moved to where he could kiss her lips. He thrusted into her a little harder to test out her reaction.

"Oh God, yes," Shayla called out. Happy continued with the harder pace since there was no protest. Shayla groaned loudly. His thrusts continued to hit the spot that was beginning to drive her wild. Her toes began to curl again. She grunted with each of his thrusts.

"You feel so good, Hap," she managed to get out.

"So do you," he said before kissing her again. They began moaning into each other's mouths as Happy began to move a little faster. Happy broke the kiss then pressed his forehead to hers.

"I'm gonna cum," she whimpered. Happy groaned at her words.

"Don't hold back," he commanded. Shayla nodded since she wasn't able to voice her response. She could feel it coming. Her whole body was tense and on the verge of breaking. She needed the release that only Happy could provide. She pulled him close to where their bodies were completely flush with each other. Her hands explored his back as her nails dug in whenever she was pushed just a little closer to her orgasm.

Shayla began to move her hips with his. The new motion caused her eyes to roll into the back of her head.

"You're so fucking beautiful," Happy told her as his hips changed pace. His thrusts became long and methodical. He made sure each thrust he did, made Shayla make some form of sound. Her whole body trembled as it begged for release.

"God I'm so fucking close," she said through clenched teeth.

"Cum for me, Shay. Cum on my dick," Happy commanded. His command added to the intensity of the moment. Shayla leaned her head back on the pillow and closed her eyes. She focused on Happy and how good he felt inside her. She could feel every last inch of him pushing into her, filling her to the limit. She could feel the tip of his cock pressing against her cervix in the best way possible. She could feel his lips caressing the skin on her neck. She could smell the perfume that their sex was creating. It smelled so sweet to her.

Shayla felt Happy's teeth sink into her neck. That was enough to send her soaring over the edge. She called out his name as she felt her walls pulsate around his cock. He kept moving inside her as if he wanted to ride the intense feeling out with her. His thrusts became faster once more to add to the intensity.

"Oh fuck, don't stop," she told him. Her nails dug into his back somewhere. Happy groaned in her ear as his grip tightened on her.

He rode her through her orgasm before he came as well. He buried himself inside of her as far as he could go as he came. He lifted his head to look her in the eye. She placed her hand on his cheek while she smiled at him.

"Holy fuck," she said causing Happy to chuckle.

"Agreed," he said. He kissed her lips gently before shifting to where he was laying next to her. Shayla rolled to face him as he sat up. He was still panting. There was a sheen of sweat coating his body giving him a certain glow. He looked down at Shayla with a grin.

"I'll get you a towel so you can clean up a little," he said as he slid out of bed. Shayla hummed as she closed her eyes. She felt like she was floating. She was glad that Happy was able to walk since she was sure that she had lost that ability.

She heard the toilet flush inside the bathroom then heard the sink run for a bit. The water shut off then Shayla felt the bed next to her dip as Happy got back in bed. She opened her eyes and looked up at him. She gave him a smile. He held a washcloth in his hand.

"Spread your legs," he told her. Shayla rolled on her back and opened her legs. Happy reached down with the washcloth and began to wipe her clean. She flinched a little when it brushed against her still sensitive clit, but it didn't last long. He tossed the washcloth in the hamper before sliding down onto the bed next to her. Shayla rolled towards him again and rested her head on his chest.

She ran the tip of her finger across his chest eyeing the snake.

"I never want to hear you say anything like that shit again," Happy told her as his arm wrapped around her. Shayla blinked in confusion then lifted her head.

"Like what?" she asked.

"That I'm going to get tired of you. That's bullshit," he said. Shayla chuckled.

"It was a joke, Hap," she teased. Happy shot her a look.

"I don't give a damn. Don't say shit like that again," he demanded. Shayla narrowed his eyes at him, but her grin never faltered. Honestly, she thought he would have gotten the joke, but maybe there was just certain things he didn't find funny like she did.

"Okay, I won't try to be funny anymore," she joked.

"Good because you're not funny," he said simply. Shayla clicked her tongue at him then sat up.

"I'm hungry," she said.

"Me too. Come on, we'll grab some lunch before we go get your laptop," he said as he sat up with her.


	35. Chapter 35

**I'm glad that everyone is enjoying this story thus far! It appears there was a little confusion about Happy's age in my story so I do want to clear that up a little. This story happens before the show starts. I'm placing it in 2001 hence why Happy is younger than what everyone thinks. **

**Here's another chapter enjoy!**

Shayla and Tig walked into the clubhouse. Jax and Clay stood at the pool table talking over a game. Opie was watching some kind of game on television. Happy sat at the bar nursing a glass of whiskey. Shayla was walking backwards while she told Tig a joke so she wasn't aware of what anyone was doing behind her.

"Then the cop leans in and says, '_Yeah, right, voodoo dick my ass'_," she said the punch line. Tig busted out laughing as he tried to remain upright.

"Yeah, that one was pretty good," he said as he put his arm over her shoulder so he could lead her to the bar where Happy sat.

"It was better than the one you tried to tell," she said as a matter of fact. Tig scoffed.

"It's not my fault you didn't get it, Princess," he defended as he squeezed her shoulder a little. She put her arm around his waist.

"Maybe, but it _is_ your fault that you messed up the punchline," she said as she pinched the skin on his side.

"Whatever," he said pushing her away from him. She chuckled as she made her way to Happy. She draped her arms over his shoulders and nuzzled into the side of his neck.

"Hey there, handsome," she said lovingly before pressing her lips to his skin. Happy looked over his shoulder to her with a grin. "I missed you." Happy scoffed then looked back to his drink so he could take another gulp. Shayla looked to Tig who was watching the pair with the utmost amusement. She winked at him.

She backed away from Happy, but left her hands on his shoulders.

"I really don't think he missed me, Tigger," she said staring at the back of Happy's head. She felt Happy tense a little under her touch.

"I really don't think he did, Princess," Tig agreed leaning his elbow against the bar. He was watching Happy's expressions and was loving every second of it if the little sparkle in his blue eyes had anything to say about it. "I don't see how, you're very missable."

"I'd like to think so. I mean, c'mon, it's me we're talking about after all," she said with a shrug.

"Fucking stop," Happy demanded. Shayla giggled as she wrapped her arms around him again.

"Why would I want to do that? You're adorable when you're like this," she said as she nuzzled into his neck again.

"Oh dear God," Happy mumbled as he tilted the rest of his whiskey back. He reached for the bottle that sat near him and opened the cap. Shayla frowned as she leaned away from him. She glanced to Tig for a split second as Happy filled his glass with whiskey. Tig watched him curiously right along with her. Happy was not in the mood to play at the moment.

"You had a bad day," Shayla said. It wasn't a question. Something had happened. Anxiousness gripped her throat. Or was that just her heart leaping up there to choke her a little? Either way, she wasn't looking forward to whatever it was. Because if it was even bothering Happy, it couldn't be good.

"I need to talk to Tig," Happy said looking over his shoulder to Shayla. Shayla nodded her head. She leaned forward and planted a gentle kiss to his cheek.

"But you're all mine after you're done talking," she said trying to get something out of him. Anything. If he responded, it wasn't as bad as her mind first led her to believe. If he didn't… well, she just hoped he did.

His response was taking another gulp of his whiskey. Shayla took a deep breath to calm her nerves. She could already feel her palms start to get sweaty from the nervousness that was starting to spread into her gut. She stepped away from Happy and gave Tig one last glance before she turned to join her brother and step father.

She stepped up to her brother and wrapped an arm around his waist while he put his arm around her shoulders.

"Hey, you got any weed?" she asked him. She hadn't been able to get any since Kozik had taken every last penny that she had.

"I missed you too," Jax teased while he dug in his inside kutte pocket.

"At least you did," she mumbled eyeing Happy and Tig while they discussed whatever it was they needed to discuss alone. Jax chuckled while he squeezed his little sister against him. He pulled out a joint and handed it to her.

"No reason to worry, Shay. You know how he is," he reasoned with her. Shayla shrugged as she put the joint between her lips. Jax held his lighter up and lit it for her.

"Yeah, I know how he is with you guys, but this is me. I deserve snuggles," she told him. Jax laughed while his sister took a hit off the joint.

Happy watched Shayla while she made her way over to her brother before he turned to Tig. He had to make sure she was out of ear shot because if she overheard anything he had to say to Tig, she was going to explode. And he was not in the mood for an ass chewing from her.

"We got Travis to talk," Happy started off. Tig grinned.

"You mean _you_ got him to talk," he replied. Happy shrugged.

"He gave us names of everyone that's dealing in the club. Kozik was the only officer dealing so Tacoma isn't going to take as big a hit as we originally thought. Lee is going to call in some Nomads that have been thinking about looking for something a little more permanent and some others from other Charters who may be looking to move to fill the spots Tacoma needs." Tig ran his finger over his chin while he listened to Happy. It was something Happy noticed he did while he was listening and thinking at the same time.

"Not really sure why you sent Princess away to tell me this," he wondered aloud. Happy glanced over his shoulder to see where Shayla was.

She was smoking a joint messing around with the pool table to mess up Jax's shot. As soon as Jax hit the cue ball, Shayla lifted the ball he was aiming for so he missed. Jax let his head fall forward still standing in the shooting position then glared at Shayla. He stood up straight then shoved his hand down inside one of the pockets. He pulled one of the balls out then pretended to throw it at Shayla. Shayla squealed as she fell to the floor to avoid being hit.

Clay watched the two siblings with a grin on his face. He had already discarded his cue stick knowing now that since Shayla was involved, the game was over.

"That wasn't all Travis told me." Tig frowned. He didn't like the way Happy said that. Happy turned back to his friend. "Travis has told Tiki about Shayla and her involvement in everything. Shayla brought it to my attention that some of the Sweet Butts were on the shit so I brought it to the table. Travis said that Shayla has been watched by Tiki. He's been learning her routine, waiting for the perfect time to grab her."

"But no one has been following us," Tig reasoned with him. "He's just trying to get under your skin and by the fucking looks of it, it worked." Happy shrugged again.

"Clay thinks it's best if she goes back to Charming," Happy told him. Tig took a moment to process. Tig ran his hand through his hair. Maybe it wasn't Travis saying that about Tiki following Shayla that had gotten under his skin. Maybe it was Clay saying Shayla would be going back to Charming that had gotten under his skin. Happy wasn't the type to drink so much so fast, but he had downed another glass with the last couple gulps then poured him another.

"You and I both know she isn't going to go for that," Tig said as he glanced at Shayla. Shayla was racking up the pool balls for another game with her brother while Jax puffed on the joint a little.

"I'm not going for it," Happy grumbled as he gulped his drink again. Tig grinned.

"You're really hung up on my Princess, ain't you, brutha?" Tig teased.

"Fuck off," Happy said as he ran his hand over his head. The two of them fell into silence for a moment while Tig mulled over everything that Happy had just told him. They were always sure to be so careful in times like those when there could be danger around any corner. Especially when they were with his Princess. It had always been like that since she had been kidnapped nearly ten years before.

"She's mine, Tig. I'm not giving her up," Happy stated looking back to his woman. She was scolding Jax over something the pair had totally missed but if they knew anything, Jax probably deserved it.

"Princess ain't going anywhere. Clay's just worried, I'm sure." At least, he hoped he was right.

"I can take care of her," Happy promised as he finished another drink. Tig chuckled as Happy reached for the bottle again. Tig grabbed the bottle first and moved it out of his way.

"Don't worry, Hap, I got your back. Now go be with your Old Lady and we'll call you if we need you," Tig said. Happy glared at Tig then glanced down at the bottle. Tig wasn't sure what was going through Happy's mind at the moment, but whatever it was, he was falling into a hole that no one needed him in at the moment. He could get shit faced after everything was over. If there was anything worth getting shitfaced over by the time everything was over.

"She's not my Old Lady," Happy corrected him. His words were becoming slurred as the alcohol began to take him over. Tig grinned at him.

"Yet." Happy rolled his eyes. He opened his mouth, but was interrupted by Opie screaming. They looked back at him as he waved his bottle around at the television. Shayla stood behind him and cheered the other team on. Opie glared back at her. He pointed his bottle at her.

"I'll beat your ass, you little shit," he threatened.

"Bring it on, Sasquatch!"

Opie jumped up from the chair and faced her. Shayla didn't back down.

"What did I say about calling me that?" he growled. Shayla crossed her arms over her chest.

"I don't know what you told me because I don't speak Sasquatch!" she hissed at him.

"Alright, that's it!" he said putting his beer down. Shayla's eyes widened. Opie darted towards her. Shayla screamed as she turned to run from him. She ran in behind the bar to put something in between the two.

"Wait! Wait! Wait!" Shayla screamed holding her hands out in front of her. Opie stopped in his tracks and eyed her. Shayla bent behind the bar and brought up a bottle of vodka and a shot glass. She poured herself a shot then tipped it back. She cringed at the bitterness of the drink then licked her lips. She paused for a moment while she stared Opie down. Then she bolted from behind the bar, Opie running to catch up to her. She rushed outside to get away from him.

Happy looked to Tig.

"On second thought, send her back to Charming," Happy told him with a grin.

"Fuck no, I don't want her," Tig said as he turned back to him. Happy chuckled as he stood from his barstool so he could lean over the bar to grab himself a beer instead of drinking more liquor.

Shayla ran outside so she would have more room to run away from Opie. Like he would actually hurt her. Sasquatch was a little nickname she had given him in their younger years and he always hated it. He used to try to beat her up over it, but he eventually just got used to it. She looked over her shoulder to see how far behind Opie was, but the sound of a motorcycle caught her attention before she even saw where Opie was.

Upon seeing who was on the motorcycle made her stop dead in her tracks. Opie came up behind her and grabbed her shoulders.

"You're making this too easy," he told her with a chuckle on his breath. Shayla shook her head, still looking at who was on the bike. Opie watched her for a moment, apparently not aware of the new arrival sitting in the parking lot. That was until he noticed that she wasn't reacting to him. He looked over her shoulder then noticed that her eyes were glued to something that wasn't a route for a quick getaway.

She appeared to be slightly shocked with a side of disappointment and sadness. Opie narrowed his eyes at her gaze then followed it across the parking lot. He noticed Kozik taking off his helmet and setting it on the handle of his bike.

"Go back inside, Shay," Opie commanded her. Shayla looked up at Opie.

"What are you going to do?" she asked him.

"I'm going to kick his fucking ass," Opie told her. "Now go back inside."

"No, don't," Shayla protested. She knew what he did was wrong, but he had already suffered enough. He had a seizure and a mild heart attack from the overdose. He had spent time in the hospital from it. He had to sit on ponder on what he was going to lose from his actions.

"Go back inside," he ordered. He pushed around her and power walked towards Kozik. His fists were clenched. His shoulders were squared off. Shayla knew what it meant. She had seen Opie make the stance many times before. He was getting ready to do exactly what he said. He was going to beat the shit out of Kozik.

Shayla watched in silent horror as he made it to Kozik and pulled him off his bike. He tossed him on the pavement as if he were a ragdoll and gave him a swift kick in the ribs. Kozik cried out in pain. Shayla knew that Kozik was able to defend himself. Hell, he was a strongman in the Marines, but he made no move to help himself.

Shayla shook her head as she turned back to the clubhouse. She rushed inside. Everyone was still doing their own thing.

"Hey!" she called out to get everyone's attention. Everyone gave it to her. "Opie is out here kicking the shit out of Kozik!" Time seemed to stop. At least, just for a moment. Everyone shared a glance with the man who was nearest them. No one breathed. No one moved. Then all at once, everyone was scrambling for the door. Shayla rushed back outside ahead of everyone else.

Opie and Kozik were standing before each other. Kozik was bleeding from his lip and there was a gash on his cheek from Opie's ring. Opie had his hands up in a boxer's stance while Kozik kept his arms at his sides.

Shayla felt someone's hand on the small of her back. She looked beside her to see Happy.

"You have to stop this, Hap," Shayla said desperately. Happy kept his eyes on the fight for a moment. Opie stepped in and took another swing at Kozik. Kozik didn't even make a move to dodge or block. Shayla flinched at the contact. She didn't know personally how hard Opie could hit, but she had seen plenty of people get knocked out from just one of his blows. Kozik stumbled backwards, but still made no move to defend himself.

Shayla turned to Happy fully and placed her hands on his chest. Happy kept his eyes on the fight for a moment longer before he looked down to Shayla.

"Happy, this isn't fair," she told him.

"Go wait inside," Happy commanded her. Shayla frowned.

"Are you going to stop this?"

"No," Clay spoke up. Shayla looked to her step father. "Kozik is getting his."

"Go wait inside," Happy told her again.

"Not until you stop this," Shayla countered. "Kozik has already gotten his. He's OD'd, had a siezure, a fucking heart attack. He's been through enough and you know it, Hap." Happy kept his eyes on her. Studied her. Pondered her words. He raised his fingers to her cheek and ran them along her jaw before he looked to Clay.

"She's got a point, Clay," Happy told him. Shayla smiled up at Happy then buried her face in his chest. Shayla felt his fingers slide from her skin then felt his arm go around her waist. Shayla heard Clay sigh.

"Alright, break them up," Clay told the others.

"Wait for me in the dorm," Happy told Shayla. Shayla looked up at him with the same smile gracing her lips.

"I need the key," she said obediently. Happy dug in his pocket for it. He pulled it out and held it up for her. She grabbed the key then kissed his lips gently.

"Don't keep me waiting," she said quietly. Happy smirked as she slipped away from him. His gaze followed her then lowered to her ass as she walked away. Happy turned to watch as Jax defused the situation, but his eyes caught Tig first. Tig was grinning at him like he had found out what he was getting for Christmas.

"What?" Happy barked.

"Nothing," Tig said as he turned his gaze to Jax and Opie, but the grin he had never faltered.


	36. Chapter 36

Happy approached Kozik just as they pulled Opie away from him. Happy shoved his shoulder.

"What the fuck are you doing here, man?" he growled. Kozik held his hands up defensively.

"I came to see Shay Bug," he told him honestly. Happy's frown grew. Happy clenched his fists at his sides as he fought the urge to hit the blonde.

"The fuck makes you think I would even allow you to _think_ about her, let alone _see_ her," he snarled. Kozik huffed as he ran his hand on the back of his head and looked at the ground.

"I know, man, I can't even start to tell you how sorry I am. I couldn't go into rehab until I made this right, or at least start to." Happy glanced back to his brothers. Everyone was watching the scene unfold cautiously. They were waiting for it to escalate again, but Happy kept a level head about it.

"I'm waiting," Happy barked, turning his attention back to Kozik. Kozik reached into his back pocket. Happy heard a couple of his brothers shift behind him and he imagined that they went for their weapons just in case, but Happy knew better than that. Kozik wasn't that stupid. Happy heard paper crumple as Kozik gripped something in his pocket. He pulled out an envelope and handed it to Happy. It was thick and a little heavy. Happy opened it up and peered inside.

There was cash of various bills inside. Happy looked to Kozik curiously.

"It's all the money I took from her. Plus a little extra," Kozik confirmed. Happy tucked it away in his kutte.

"You need to get yourself into rehab," Happy told him as he nodded towards the blonde's bike. Kozik nodded then shuffled his feet.

"There's something else," Kozik muttered nervously. Happy tilted his head a little. "Tiki is in Tacoma. He reached out to me since he couldn't contact Travis." Happy felt an unknown feeling grip his throat. Was it fear? Worry? Something else? He really didn't feel it hit when Travis had told him, but he had agreed with Tig. Travis was just trying to get under his skin. Happy knew he was, but having Kozik confirm it choked him.

"What did he say?" Clay asked stepping forward. Kozik let his gaze slide to the President. He stayed quiet as he studied the man for a moment. Happy saw Kozik working his jaw and part of him wondered if it was because he was thinking or if he was itching for a fix.

"He wants me to take Shay Bug to him," he answered truthfully. Happy stepped in closer to him.

"Is that why you showed up here?" he asked quickly. Kozik gave Happy an incredulous look.

"No! Fuck no! I came to warn you guys! Shayla is in danger. They're going to use her as leverage to get you guys to back off the drug shit. And Shayla can't go through that shit. Not again," he said quickly and desperately. Happy glanced at Clay. Then Travis was telling the truth. Shayla was in danger. She was being watched.

"Son of a bitch!" Tig suddenly yelled as he turned away from the group and stomped around for a moment. Happy turned to Clay.

"I'm going to talk to her," he told the President.

"Good. You can tell her to start packing her shit so we can get her back to Charming," Clay commanded the Enforcer. Happy frowned. He wanted to argue, but he needed to get to Shayla. He needed to see her. He needed to make sure she was still okay. Happy pushed passed the group and headed inside. He rushed back to the dorm and opened the door. He came up short.

Shayla was sprawled out on the bed in one of his t-shirts. It was bunched up around her waist showing off a pair of light blue boy shorts. She had on a pair of black socks that went up to just below her knee. Happy felt his mouth water a little. He had watched a lot of porn in his lifetime that started off just like that. She had one of her school books open in front of her. She was lightly moving her feet back and forth as she did her homework.

She glanced at him and smiled.

"Hey, babe, is everything okay with Kozik?" she asked as she sat up. She got on her knees and faced him at the edge of the bed. Happy's eyes slowly slid over her body before he nodded. He reached in his kutte pocket and pulled out the envelope. He tossed it on her lap. She slapped her hands on it before it could fall in the floor.

"What's this?" she asked picking it up.

"The money Kozik stole from you. He paid you back," he told her as he walked to the edge of the bed. He saw a small smile grace her lips as she opened it. She thumbed through the bills for a moment, but it was clear that she wasn't counting it.

"Good," she said. She looked up to Happy. "At least now money won't be tight for us." Happy frowned then turned so he could sit on the edge of the bed. Shayla laid the envelope on the bed then slid in behind Happy. She wrapped her arms around his waist then laid her chin on his shoulder.

"We need to talk about that," he said quietly.

"About what?"

"We got Travis to talk." Shayla picked her head up. "Tiki is in Tacoma. He wants to use you as leverage to make us back off the drugs." Shayla swallowed as she felt her hands grip at his kutte.

"No…" she breathed. She couldn't believe it. She didn't want to believe it. "It can't happen again. They can't take me." She fell backwards on the bed as panic settled over her. Her breath was labored. Her heart pounded loudly in her ears. Her body shook down to her core. Happy turned to her on the bed. He crawled up to her and sat. He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her to him. Shayla let out a light sob as she buried her head in his chest.

"Please don't let them take me again, Hap. Please no," she begged. Happy shushed her quietly. He ran his fingers through her hair slowly.

"I'm not going to let them take you. I'll kill them all before I'd let that happen," he whispered to her. She whimpered in his grasp as she tried to get closer to him. It seemed like she couldn't get close enough to him. She acted like she was trying to crawl inside him. Happy squeezed her against him as if he was trying to help her crawl inside.

"You're safe with me, Shayla. I'll never let anyone hurt you," he promised. Shayla sniffled a little as she clutched his kutte in her fingers.

"It can't happen again," she mumbled. "They can't hurt me again." Happy shushed her again.

"I'm not going to let them near you," he reassured her. "But you're going to need to quit your job." Shayla looked up to him with wide eyes. "At least until this is all over." Shayla's face twisted in disapproval, but she didn't argue.

"I don't know if they're going to take me back after all this is over," she mentioned as she pressed her cheek against his chest.

"Then you can find another job. It's going to be okay, babe," he told her. He heard her scoff a little.

"You called me babe," she said slightly amused tone. Happy tried to look down at her, but ended up resting his chin on top of her head.

"Does that bother you?" he asked. Shayla shook her head, pieces of her hair getting caught in the scruff on his chin.

"I kind of like it. Maybe I should give you a pet name?" she said. Happy could feel her start to relax in her embrace. Talking to her about something other than the danger that was all around her seemed to be calming her, so he entertained her.

"Like what?" he asked even though he had a strong feeling that he wasn't going to like it. Shayla hummed before she leaned away from him then looked up at him. Her hair stuck in his stubble so Happy brushed it away.

"I could call you sweetie," she offered. Happy scrunched his face up. He really didn't want to be called that. Not in the least. Shayla chuckled. She reached up and brushed her fingers across his cheek. "You are a sweetie though." Happy groaned and turned his head away from her touch. Shayla laughed.

"What about Boo Bear?" Shayla continued. Happy pretended to retch. Shayla slid away from him then faced him. She spread her legs then draped them over his thighs. Happy couldn't help but glance down at her exposed underwear. He looked into her eyes. Though she had relaxed, he could still see in her eyes that she was worried. She was trying to hide it and Happy wasn't sure what he needed to do. He thought about talking about the danger she was in, but he didn't want her feeling more worried than she needed to be. He didn't want to trigger another night terror. He wanted her to feel safe. He needed her to feel safe.

Happy was pulled from his thoughts when Shayla wrapped her arms around his neck and used him to scoot herself across the bed to where their bodies touched. Happy let his hands slip up under her, well his shirt so he could run his fingers over her nautical stars.

"You don't want to be called Boo Bear? That's so cute though," she playfully argued. Happy scowled at her.

"You call me Boo Bear and this relationship is over," he said seriously. Shayla laughed again. She leaned forward and kissed his lips gently. She broke the kiss slowly then let out a small breath.

"I'll quit work, but I can't quit school," she said truthfully. Happy knew she was right. He couldn't ask her to quit school. Not when she was following her dreams. He was already asking too much of her to quit her job. She was wanting to be an independent woman and he was taking that away from her by telling her that it was best to quit her job. He was surprised that she accepted it so easily. He was expecting a lot more resistance from her.

"We'll figure out school later," he said before kissing her. Shayla giggled against his lips then pulled away from him. She placed her hands on his cheeks.

"You are pretty amazing, you know that right?" she asked him. Happy shrugged a little and broke eye contact. Part of him hated that she told him that all the time. It made him a little uncomfortable. He wasn't used to people saying things like that to him so he wasn't sure how to react. Shayla grabbed his face which in turn grabbed his attention.

"You are amazing and don't let anyone tell you any different. You hear me, Boo Bear?"

Happy growled as he gripped her hips. Shayla's eyes widen a little knowing her mistake immediately.

Happy threw her on her back and, considering their previous position, was able to slip right in between her legs. He pressed his hips into hers to keep her still. He grabbed her wrists and pinned them on either side of her head. Shayla's breath hitched just as Happy's lips came within millimeters of her own.

"You're not calling me that," he snarled. A smile broke out on Shayla's face as she released a short giggle. Happy pressed his lips firmly to hers. She arched her torso so it pressed against his since it was the only thing she had control of at the moment.

Their lips moved desperately, trying to find every last detail of each other. Happy's right hand released her wrist and lowered it so he could grab the hem of her t-shirt. Shayla's hand grabbed the back of his neck and pulled him closer.

Happy's hand reached under the shirt and let his hand travel upwards. Shayla tried to wiggle away from his touch, but his hips that were bearing down on hers didn't leave her much to work with.

She grunted a little in protest and Happy broke the kiss. He leaned away from her and gave her a questioning look. Shayla pressed her hand to his chest, but didn't push him away.

"We really need to talk about what I'm going to do with school," she told him honestly. Happy let out a quick breath then lowered his head to give her one last, quick kiss. He had hoped the moment was going to take a different turn, but Shayla had other plans.

He slid off her slowly, but left his hands on her waist.

"I can't quit school," she said. Happy nodded and gave her hips a light squeeze.

"I know," he said quietly. Shayla remained quiet. She wanted to tell him that her entire future was weighing on Tacoma. That she knew the only reason why she was in danger in the first place was because she noticed the drug problem in the Tacoma charter. She had inadvertently put herself at risk, but she had put her full trust in the Club.

But she couldn't give up her entire future. That was the reason for coming to Tacoma. She could go to college, get a job, and have a little bit of a life outside the club. She didn't want to completely rely on them for absolutely everything in her life.

She didn't want to end up like her mother.

"So what are we going to do?"

"I can't be with you all the time right now," Happy answered. Shayla lifted her hand and brushed her fingers across his cheek.

"I know, but that's what Prospects are for, right?"

Happy scoffed.

"That little shit can't tell his ass from a hole in the ground," Happy spat. Shayla chuckled then scooted closer to him. She nuzzled into his neck.

"C'mon give him a break. He's just shy," Shayla defended.

"Little bitch couldn't even bring you straight here," Happy countered. Shayla shoved him playfully. Happy chuckled at the motion.

"It's not like you're getting a choice in the matter. He's patching into a different Charter," she finalized. Happy couldn't argue with that. "He could stay with me. I mean you already made him my bitch."

"There's only one problem with you staying in Tacoma," Happy blurted out. He was going to regret it. Shayla wasn't going to take the news well. He could tell by the way she pushed away from him again. She looked at him with a look that promised she was going to get angry with what he was about to say.

"And what's that?" she asked already getting defensive.

"Clay wants you to go back to Charming," he told her. Happy braced himself.

"I don't give a shit what Clay wants," Shayla hissed. "I'm not leaving Tacoma." Happy let go of the breath that he had been holding. Shayla sat up in bed. "I'm staying here, Hap." She sat cross legged and crossed her arms. Happy sat up on his elbow and watched the volcano that was Shayla begin to erupt.

She tapped her fingers on her arm. Happy swore he could feel the bed start to tremble with Shayla. The vibrations worked their way down to her foot and it began to shake.

"I'm not fucking leaving," she hissed as she slid to the edge of the bed to stand. She hurried for the door and Happy knew what was about to happen. She was going after Clay.

"Shay!" he barked loudly. Shayla stopped. She flashed a glare in his direction. "You're not going out there without pants on." Shayla glanced down at her semi bare legs then rolled her eyes. She turned towards the dresser that now held her clothes and grabbed a pair of pajama bottoms and slid them on quickly. Then she continued on her way to confront Clay.


	37. Chapter 37

"Oh crap," Clay mumbled as he saw Shayla come into the main room of the clubhouse. Her eyes had a fire in them that matched her mother. She was out for blood. More importantly, his blood. Happy followed behind her watching his woman with his calculating stare. Shayla stopped in front of Clay. Clay half expected her to scream and yell and stomp her feet, but she just stood there quietly with her arms crossed over her chest. She stared at Clay as if she was waiting for something.

"Hey, sweetheart," Clay greeted her as cheerfully as he could muster. Shayla just stood there. The way she was quiet made Clay think of the proverbial calm before the storm.

"Is there something you want to tell me?" she asked after Clay obviously didn't give her what she wanted.

"About?" Clay asked. He was playing dumb. He knew exactly what she was getting at. Happy had told her that Clay wanted to send her back to Charming. There was no other reason why she was so angry.

"Oh don't give me that shit, Clay," she spat. Clay narrowed his eyes at his step daughter. Shit. First name basis. That was Shayla's way of letting anyone know she was pissed without actually voicing it. "You know exactly what I'm talking about."

"Hap told you about Charming," Clay said with a sigh.

"Why the fuck are you wanting to send me back to Charming?" she pressed.

"It's not safe for you here," Clay answered truthfully. Shayla scoffed and shook her head.

"I'm basically on lockdown right now. I don't go anywhere unless there is someone with me. Happy stays with me. I couldn't be safer right now," she argued. Clay pointed a finger at her to emphasize the seriousness of the situation.

"You're public enemy number one right now. We need to get you out of here," Clay told her. Shayla scoffed then scowled at him.

"I'm not leaving school. Or Happy. Tacoma is my home now and I'm not going to run away just because some fuck head drug dealer wants to snatch me up," Shayla argued.

"You don't have a say in the matter," Clay growled lowly as he stepped closer to Shayla. Shayla put her hands on her hips and stared up at him without any fear in her eyes.

"This is my future you're threatening. Do _not_ tell me I don't have a say in the matter," she snapped back. "I'm not leaving Tacoma and that's final."

"I'm not going to put you at risk," Clay said with a raised tone.

"I put myself at risk by telling Hap about the drugs in the first place!" Shayla screamed getting up in his face.

"Which is why we need to get you out of here!" Clay yelled back.

"I'm not going anywhere!" she yelled one last time and even shoved his shoulders. Clay stepped back at the sudden force. His eyes darkened in rage. Happy suddenly grabbed Shayla and put her behind him as he stood before the President of SAMCRO. Happy didn't say anything, he didn't need to. Clay could see the message there.

_You touch my woman, I'll feed you to the crows._

That's what it told Clay. It was odd seeing Happy so protective of someone, and even stranger that the someone he was protective of was his step daughter. But they needed to understand that Clay was looking out for Shayla. That he had her best interests in mind. He didn't care if he was ruining her future by pulling her away from school, just as long as she was safe.

Clay took a deep breath so the situation didn't escalate any more than what it had. The club was suffering enough because of the betrayals of the members dealing. They didn't need to be at each other's throats just because of the way Shayla was acting out.

Shayla was obviously gripping the back of Happy's kutte just as she always did when a Son had to step in to defend her. It was a habit she picked up after her kidnapping. It made her feel safe. Like she was shielded from the world by a leather kutte.

"C'mon, Shay, you need to listen to what Clay is trying to tell you," Jax said butting into the conversation. Shayla stepped away from Happy, but didn't release his kutte. She gave her brother an incredulous look.

"You agree with him?" she spat at her brother.

"Listen, Shay, I don't want you to give up everything because of what's going on, but right now our options are limited," he told her honestly. Shayla scoffed.

"That's because I'm not going anywhere," she told him as she pressed herself against Happy's back once more.

"You're in danger, Shay!" Jax suddenly yelled. "Tiki could come out of nowhere and snatch you up! He can take you away from us! Do you want that to happen again?!" Happy heard Shayla whimper behind him as she pressed her face in his back. She shook her head.

"I'm not leaving," Shayla tried to argue again though her voice had shrunk considerably. Jax huffed.

"I will drag your ass back to Charming by the hair on your head if I have to," Jax threatened coldly. Shayla glared at him. She stepped away from Happy apparently feeling up to the task of being rebellious towards the MC again.

"Why are you wanting me to go back to Charming so bad?" Shayla yelled in question.

"Because I'll be damned if I sit by and watch my stubborn ass sister get kidnapped again just because she got some good dick in Tacoma!" Jax yelled so loud it reverberated across the room. Shayla flinched at the loudness of his voice and felt her entire face go red.

"Dude, harsh," the Prospect said from the door. He and Chibs came walking in carrying boxes and bags overflowing with something Shayla couldn't see since her vision was becoming blurry from the tears working their way to the edges.

Jesus she couldn't remember the last time she had cried so much. Shayla turned away from everyone in the room and rushed down the hall back to Happy's dorm. She had been humiliated by her brother in front of everyone and she just needed to disappear.

Happy turned and gave Jax a glare. Jax scowled at the Enforcer, his nostrils flaring. There was a million things racing through Happy's mind. He wanted to say every last one of them, but he just kept quiet. Jax and Happy stared each other down. Happy shook his head in disappointment.

"I always thought more of you," was what he decided to go with then turned so he could go stop Shayla's tears, yet again.

As Happy disappeared into the hallway, he heard Jax knock something over with a scream. Happy just ignored it and went into his dorm. Shayla was back to wearing just his t-shirt, socks, and underwear. She sat on his bed puffing away quickly on a joint. The cherry at the end of it was nice and long as she puffed. It threatened to fall right off the end of the joint and burn his sheets and bed. Shayla stared at nothing on the wall across from her bouncing her leg absentmindedly.

Happy walked over and grabbed the ashtray on Shayla's nightstand and sat down on the edge of the bed. He plucked the joint out of her fingers then began to roll the cherry around in the ashtray to shorten it a little. They sat in a tense silence. Happy was glad that she wasn't crying. He was done watching her cry.

"Just for the record," Shayla snapped as she crossed her arms. "I don't want to stay in Tacoma because of your dick." Happy smirked as he brought the joint up and took a few puffs off the joint.

"Not even a little bit?" Happy asked glancing at her out of the corner of his eye. Shayla rolled her eyes and fought against a grin. She had to look away from him.

"This isn't the time to be joking, Hap. They're out there deciding my future for me," she argued. Happy hummed.

"Let them. You're not going anywhere," Happy promised as he handed the joint back to Shayla. Shayla sighed as she rubbed the back of her neck.

"No, they'll get what they want. They always do. I might as well go ahead and start packing my shit up," she said as she glanced around the room. She eyed all the little knick knacks of hers that had somehow made it to Happy's dorm.

"Don't talk like that," Happy grumbled. Shayla sighed as she handed the joint back to him. She slid across the bed and sat behind him. She tugged on the edges of his kutte to tell Happy that she wanted him to take it off. Happy put the joint in the ashtray and let Shayla slide it off. Then she tugged on the edge of his shirt signaling that she wanted that off as well.

Happy looked back at her curiously. Shayla simply grinned at him and gave him a gentle kiss on the back of his neck. It was enough for Happy to lift his shirt up and over his head. She rested her hands on his shoulders. She could feel where his muscles were tense. She kissed the back of his neck gently as she started working her fingers into his shoulders.

She felt his muscles give way under her fingers one by one. Unless it was the weed. Well, the weed probably helped. She kept going down his back until every last muscle was loosened and Happy appeared to be a relaxed blob of human flesh currently perched on the edge of his bed. They were quiet the entire time. There was nothing that needed to be said. Nothing that came to mind, at least.

She snuggled into his back and rested her cheek against his shoulder. She ran her fingers over the Reaper tattoo on his back. She traced her fingers along the scythe of the Reaper then back up it's black robes, then traced around his face.

"You know, I've always been jealous of these," she said in a quiet voice. Happy hummed in question. "I always wanted to have a Reaper on my back. I always got to see them on everyone's back when they took their shirts off. I always thought it was so cool. Unfortunately, I was born with a pussy."

"Unfortunate for you," Happy said as he stood suddenly. "But for me?" He pushed her back on the bed then grabbed her by her knees and jerked her to the edge. "I would say I'm very fortunate." Shayla giggled and wrapped her limbs around him as he leaned over her.

"And why would you say that, Mr. Lowman?" she asked playfully. Happy smirked as he reached down between them and cupped the warmth between her legs.

"Because this pussy is all mine," he growled just before he covered her mouth with his own. He pushed her shirt up immediately and broke the kiss long enough to move the fabric over her head. He pressed his lips to hers once more eliciting a moan from her. He broke it once more then stood up.

"Lay down on the bed," Happy commanded. "On your stomach." Shayla looked up at him in question. The look he returned told her that she had better listen to him. Happy admired her ass in the light blue boy shorts that she was wearing that accented the apple shape of her ass. She crawled up into the bed and laid down in the center. Happy looked into her eyes for a moment before his eyes wandered down to her back.

His gaze ran over each and every scar that lined her back. Shayla rested her arms under her head for support while she watched him. He undid his belt and slid it off, careful of the bowie knife that he had strapped to it. He laid it out on her nightstand. He looked to her to see her reaction, but still she watched him patiently waiting.

He took off his shoes and socks never once letting his gaze leave hers. He put his knee on the edge of the bed so he could hover over her. He ran his hand up her back slowly and let his fingers brush along each of the scars on her back. He felt Shayla tense up under his touch, but he didn't stop. He lowered his head and started leaving kisses along each of the lines of raised flesh. He heard her release a shaky sigh.

Shayla couldn't believe how good his lips felt against her back. No one had ever paid much mind to the scars on her back. Hell, she didn't even like looking over her shoulder to look at the scars in the mirror. It brought up too many painful memories to look. His hands roamed her body aimlessly and left little bumps all over her skin. She thought about what he had told her when he said that he would make them pay. She had believed him just like she had believed Tig. His hand traveled down to her rear and gave it a good squeeze before he slapped the cheek.

Shayla gasped then let out a giggle as she raised her hips just to give them a slight wiggle. Happy smirked as he watched her wiggle. He gave her another slap as he looked into her eyes. Shayla bit her lip as she smiled at Happy.

"You like it rough, little girl?" he asked as his hands trailed farther down her legs.

"Sometimes," she said with a sigh as Happy's hand trailed up the inside of her thigh, coming into close proximity with her core, but he never touched her. Happy couldn't believe the heat radiating off her as his hand brushed passed. He wanted to touch her just to see how wet she already was, but he was going to take his time with her.

Shayla could have sworn that Happy had multiplied. It felt like he had more than just two hands roaming her body and more than just one set of lips covering every inch of her body. She felt her eyes drift closed as he massaged her. She just wanted to bask in the essence that was Happy. She felt completely at ease.

Shayla's eyes suddenly shot open. What if SAMCRO made her go back to Charming? What would happen to her and Happy? Would they stay in a relationship? There was no way Happy was going to like being in a long distance relationship with her. There was no way he would be able to resist all the temptation that was club pussy.

"Do you want me to stop?" she heard Happy ask. She looked over her shoulder at him and gave him a weird look.

"No, why?" she asked. His hand had stopped right between her shoulder blades. He kept it there for a moment.

"I can feel your heartbeat. You're nervous. Does this make you nervous?" he asked remaining still. Shayla chuckled lightly and rolled. Happy's hand withdrew from her. He watched her as she sat up. He noticed a tattoo that he hadn't seen yet right below her left breast. It was just a simple four leaf clover. She sat up on the bed and reached out to touch his face. Her gaze was soft. The grin on her lips was barely noticeable.

"Kiss me, Happy," she whispered. Happy leaned forward slowly. Their lips touched gently at first and Shayla felt her breath catch in her throat. She felt Happy's hand tangle in the hair on the back of her head and pulled her closer. It deepened their kiss. Shayla dropped her hand from his cheek and started running her fingers down his bare chest. She had half a mind to think that she would never get over how good it felt to simply just touch him.

There were a few spots where she could feel scars and she wondered where they had come from. She had never noticed them before, but his chest was covered in tattoos so they had been hidden from view. She wanted to ask where they had come from, but she knew how Happy was and she didn't want to ruin the mood.

Shayla started to lean back hoping Happy would catch the hint of what she was trying to accomplish. He followed her as she leaned back on the bed so she could pull him on top of her. She wrapped her legs loosely around his thighs and wrapped her arms around his neck. He broke the kiss slowly and buried his head in the crook of her neck. He was sure to keep his weight off her. Both of them took a moment to gather themselves. Shayla ran her fingers over his back slowly.

Her thoughts went back to Charming. She didn't want to leave Tacoma. She didn't want to leave Happy. He made her happy. He made her feel safe. It would break her heart if she ever had to leave him.

"I never want this to end, Hap," Shayla whispered. Happy chuckled then started kissing at her neck. Shayla dug her nails into his skin lightly as she arched her back into him. She bit her lip. Happy reached down behind her and grabbed her ass and gave her cheek a good squeeze. Shayla guided his head back up so she could kiss his lips some more. As Happy kissed her, he reached down and removed his wallet from his back pocket and tossed it carelessly on the nightstand. Happy lifted up enough as Shayla's hands started trailing back down his chest, to his stomach, and to his pant line.

Desperation started taking over their movements. She fumbled with the buttons on his jeans while he reached down and started pushing her underwear down her thighs.

"Please tell me you have a condom," Shayla whispered against his lips. Happy chuckled as he pulled away from her.

"You waited long enough to ask," he said. Shayla huffed as Happy sat up on his knees. She ran her hands over his chest and stomach.

"Well, I can't help that I'm a little distracted right now," Shayla said watching her hand wherever it went on his body. He finished pulling down her underwear and tossed them in the floor. He took in her naked body from the tips of her toes all the way up to the top of her head slowly. Shayla felt her face grow hot at his gaze. "I want you, Happy," she whispered. Happy smirked down at her.

"Patience, little girl," he all but growled at her. She bit her lip. She wanted to pout, but she didn't make a sound as Happy's hands gripped both of her ankles and picked them up. He rested them on his shoulders then ran his hands gently down her legs. Shayla let out a relaxed sigh. Happy started kissing her ankle.

His fingers brushed in close to her core, but they still didn't touch her. Shayla felt herself involuntarily twitch at his touches. He started palming her breasts gently. She smiled up at him while she ran her fingers up and down his forearms. He took his free hand and ran it down her stomach. His fingers traced around the skeleton tattoo on her side.

"What's with this tattoo?" he asked as he pushed her ankles off his shoulder. He lowered himself to said tattoo and ran his tongue up it. Shayla gripped his shoulders.

"It was the closest tattoo I could get for the Sons of Anarchy without actually breaking the rules. I cleared it with Clay before I got it." Happy hummed as he moved to the next tattoo which was the four leaf clover. He kissed at it.

"And this one?" he asked.

"That's the tattoo I got for Chibs. He's got a shillelagh tattooed on him in the same spot," she said running her fingers over his scalp. She was tracing the tattoo of the snake on his head. "Can you take off your pants, at least? It seems hardly fair that I'm the only one naked right now." Happy grunted at her and gave her breast a quick slap. Shayla squeaked.

"What did I say about patience?" he growled as he bent and took her nipple in his mouth. Shayla giggled as her legs wrapped around his waist again. Shayla hissed when he bit down on it. Shayla had never been so turned on in her life and Happy hadn't even touched her where she wanted him most.

"You do realize that Tellers don't have any patience right?" she said when Happy pulled away from her breasts. Happy grinned down at her before lowering his lips to hers. He lowered his hand down to her rear and gave her a good slap. Shayla squeaked again then clicked her tongue at him.

"Looks like I'm going to have to teach you a thing or two," he growled into her ear. Shayla giggled. He leaned up again and pulled Shayla up with him. She rested her hands on his waist and started kissing at his skin. She kissed the tattoo of the snake that swirled around his chest and down to his stomach. She moved her mouth to the four smiley faces that were tattooed in a line.

"What about these tattoos?" she asked looking up at him. Happy grabbed her chin and ran his thumb along her skin.

"I'll explain that later," he said. He slid off the edge of the bed and let his pants fall to the ground. Shayla looked down at the bulge that was covered by his boxers. She bit her lip and looked up to Happy who was watching her with a smirk. Shayla slid to the edge of the bed and hooked her finger in the band.

"May I?" she asked as she poked her chest out a little and wiggled those perfect tits up at him. Happy chuckled then nodded. Shayla pulled them down slowly and freed his erection. She swallowed hard upon seeing it. She looked up at Happy who watched her. He had admitted that he had never made eye contact with any of the girls while he was being sucked off by them.

She never broke eye contact with him when she leaned forward. She lowered her head just under the tip and gave him a gentle kiss. Happy watched her patiently with a smirk. She lowered her head to the base of his cock and gave him a nice slow lick from there to the tip. She took him into her mouth gently and began bobbing her head. She broke eye contact so she could focus on what she was doing to him, but Happy grabbed the back of her head and jerked her to look up at him.

"Atta girl," he whispered with that sexy smirk of his. The corners of her lips curved up into a smile as she started bobbing her head on him. He tasted just as salty as he did sweet. She started off slow and shallow so she could work herself deeper on him. She tried to relax her throat as much as possible so she could take even more of him in. She wasn't used to such a cock. Charlie was a bigger guy than Happy when it came to physique, but his cock wasn't as proportionate as she thought. He was hardly able to work her to an orgasm and he was only the second man that she had been with in her life.

She worried that she wasn't doing a very good job. Her lack of experience had to be obvious. She wasn't nearly as skilled as the women that liked to hang around the club, granted those girls liked to have multiple dicks in them throughout the night. She had once seen one woman take three different Sons into the back so they could do whatever. She hoped that Happy was enjoying himself.

She felt Happy's free hand touch her cheek. His thumb ran along her cheek bone.

"Your lips look perfect wrapped around my dick, baby," he whispered. Shayla groaned a little as she picked up her movement. It was almost as if that was all she needed to hear. She relaxed her throat and flattened her tongue a little more. She started moving her tongue as she moved on him. Happy grunted as he bucked his hips against her. The movement excited her gag reflex and she withdrew a little. She took a couple deep breaths then got back to bobbing her head.

Happy stopped her suddenly and stepped back. For a moment she thought that she had done something wrong. Happy reached over onto the nightstand and grabbed his wallet. He opened it and pulled a condom out and tossed it on the bed next to Shayla. She looked down at the condom for a moment then looked back up to Happy. She took the hint and laid back onto the bed. She rested her head on her pillows and spread her legs for Happy as he sank in between them.

She watched him as he tore the condom open and rolled it on. He lowered himself on top of her and kissed her lips gently. She felt him press himself against her entrance and she whimpered.

"Please, Happy, I want you," she whispered against his lips. Happy thrust himself forward suddenly and filled her in one satisfying movement. Shayla gasped at how good he felt inside of her. Happy groaned as he broke the kiss.

Shayla bit her lip. She rested her hands on his shoulders and rested her legs on his thighs. He started moving inside her slowly earning a groan from Shayla.

Happy buried his head in her shoulder. Happy thrust into her hard making Shayla moan. Happy raised himself up so he could look her in the eye.

He grabbed her thigh and lifted her leg. He grinded his hips against Shayla creating a friction that made Shayla arch her back. She groaned out his name as her nails dug into his shoulders. Happy bit at her neck. His hands roamed her body. Her body felt like it was on fire and the only way to put the fire out was Happy, but at the same time, he was the one who had caused the fire.

"Oh god, Happy," Shayla groaned. "You feel amazing!" Happy's lips found hers and he let his tongue slide into her mouth. It felt like Shayla had melted under Happy. She wasn't sure what Happy was doing to her, but he couldn't stop. He picked up the speed of his hips letting out a small groan. Shayla broke the kiss and rested her forehead against his.

It wasn't long before Shayla clenched around him. Happy picked up his pace as he felt her walls pulsate around him and he found himself cumming. They both laid in silence for a moment as they stared into each other's eyes. Both were panting as they tried to catch their breath. Happy pulled out of her earning a disapproving grunt from Shayla.

"That was amazing," Shayla whispered putting her hands on the sides of his face. Happy grinned at her and kissed her lips gently. He stood from the bed and walked out of her room so he could dispose of the condom. It was only seconds before he had crawled back into bed with Shayla with a wet washcloth so he could clean her up. She allowed him to while she brushed her fingers across his hip.

Once she was clean, Happy tossed the washcloth in the direction of the hamper, but it didn't sound like he had made it. He didn't seem to care as be slid under the covers. He spread the blanket over them both as Shayla snuggled into his chest and began peppering him with little kisses. Happy wrapped his arm around her and kept her pressed against him.

**Let's see some reviews! Let me know what you think! Much love y'all! **


	38. Chapter 38

Shayla was having a weird dream. Something was touching her. Rubbing her in her most sensitive area. It felt so good that she couldn't help but release a moan, but the moan she let out sounded so far away. She felt something touch her shoulder. Something like a kiss. At least, that's how her mind registered it.

Her foggy mind began to clear. The sensations were feeling less like a dream. Maybe she was having a lucid dream. Maybe that was why she could feel something rubbing against her core. Something thick. Something big.

She gasped as her eyes opened wide as that something pushed into her. It filled her completely and felt so damned good. She looked behind her to see Happy smirking down at her. She was laying on her belly with both her legs closed. Happy had managed to slip in between them. She giggled as she raised her hips for him to help him get a little deeper inside her. Happy leaned over her, putting his hands on either side of her to keep him up and at the current angle he was in. He began thrusting inside her at a steady pace.

Shayla moaned as she laid her head back into the pillow. She could already hear the sloppy wet sounds of her pussy. She couldn't believe how turned on she was at the moment. She let her eyes slide closed. A small smile appeared on her lips.

"That feels so good, Happy," she whispered as her fingers gripped the sheets. She felt his lips gently press against her shoulder. Happy snapped his hips against hers drawing another gasp from her, then he stopped. He pulled out of her causing Shayla to whine in protest at the sudden emptiness.

"Spread your legs," he told her. Shayla sat up as she pulled her left leg from between his then settled it in the other side of his thigh, then shifted so she could pull her right leg out to do the same. Shayla felt Happy's hands grip her thighs then pulled her against him. The motion made her legs spread out completely. He pulled his hips back just enough to push into her again.

The new angle made Shayla groan. She sat up on her elbows and arched her back a little. Happy groaned behind her as he ran a hand down the curve of her spine.

"God that's fucking hot," Happy growled behind her. Shayla giggled as she looked back to him over shoulder.

"You're fucking hot," she told him. Happy smirked as his grip settled back on her thighs.

"I'm going to go hard. If it hurts, let me know," he told her in a low voice. Shayla nodded. Happy began to move his hips again. He started off slow at first, testing Shayla in the new position before he picked up his pace. Each time he pulled out of her, barely to where it was just the tip inside her, he jerked her hips back against him as he thrust forward so he could thrust that much harder.

Shayla groaned as she gripped the pillow she had been using when Happy woke her up. She leaned her head back. Happy filled her completely, the angle of their hips pressing him painfully against her cervix with each thrust. The pleasure, however, was enough to help Shayla ignore the pain.

"Goddamn your pussy's tight," Happy growled behind her. Happy changed the angle of his hips slightly, creating a sloping, wet slap to their skin as it came together.

Shayla let out a shaky gasp as she let her head fall forward.

"Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck," Shayla repeated with each of his thrusts. Happy let out a primal growl behind her. Shayla's orgasm was approaching quickly. She didn't have a chance to voice it before her whole body began to shake. Shayla let out a long staccatoed moan due to Happy's thrusts that still continued. He fucked her through the orgasm before he buried himself as deep as he could go as he came. They both collapsed, Happy laying across her back as they panted for air.

The way they were laying was awkward, but they were both too spent to care. Happy finally rolled off her. Shayla grunted as he slipped out of her then flopped on his back with a huff. Shayla stretched out a little before she slid next to Happy. She lay across his chest then kissed his lips.

"I don't remember ordering a wake up call," Shayla cooed as she snuggled into his body. Happy chuckled.

"Couldn't let you sleep the day away," he reason with her. Shayla frowned as she looked up at him. She looked at the clock on the nightstand.

Two p.m.

"What the hell? I missed class! I set my alarm!" she squawked as she sat up. Happy sat up in bed as well then stood without saying a word. Shayla watched him as he walked into the bathroom to clean up. Shayla stood from the bed to follow him, but had a hard time standing up. She settled with sitting on the edge of the bed. She looked down at her legs that had betrayed her and watched as her muscles shook from her orgasm.

"What are you not telling me?" she asked instead of trying to follow him. Happy ran some water as he cleaned himself up. She heard the toilet flush as he disposed of the condom. He reappeared with a wet cloth to clean her up.

"Stand," Happy commanded her. She grinned sheepishly.

"I don't think I can," she answered truthfully. Happy chuckled as he knelt down in front of her. Shayla spread her legs for him then Happy cleaned her as well. Happy tossed the cloth in the hamper before he got back in bed and leaned his back against the headboard. Shayla crawled up to him. She sat in between his legs and wrapped her arms around his waist. She rested her head against his chest. Happy's arms rested around her gently.

"Clay didn't want you going to school today so I turned off your alarm. Good thing too, seems like you needed the sleep," Happy confessed. "I came here to wake you up so I could talk to you, but when I walked in, you were all stretched out and naked… I just couldn't help myself."

Shayla stayed quiet as she ran her fingers over the snake on his chest. She waited for him to get to the point. She found it flattering that Happy got hard just seeing her sleeping naked since she knew she wasn't the most attractive sleeper. Charlie made sure to let her know that at any given chance.

"They're leaving it up for a vote whether or not you're going back to Charming. Tacoma is going to have a vote, including Kozik. SAMCRO has to proxy a few votes and so do we, but SAMTAC is trying to sway everyone to keep you here. Tig is on your side too," Happy told her. Shayla sighed.

Happy half expected for her to fuss, to argue, to do something, but she just sat there. Quiet. Still running her fingers across his tattooed chest.

"I told you they're going to get their way, Hap. I'm going to have to go back to Charming. What's this gonna mean for us?"

"What do you mean?" Happy asked.

"Long distance relationships don't work out," Shayla mentioned.

"The vote's not gonna go through, babe. We're going to be fine," he reassured her. Shayla chuckled as she looked up to him.

"That's really sweet, Happy, but we got to think realistically here. There is a chance that this vote will pass and I will have no other choice but to leave," she told him truthfully. "What will that mean for us?" Happy cupped her cheek then pressed his lips to hers. He didn't answer her.

In truth, he wasn't sure how to answer her. He was sure what it would mean if Shayla had to go back to Charming. They would try to make it work, but for how long? Happy didn't find himself in Charming that often since it stayed pretty quiet down there, though he could actually stop by whenever he was on his way to Bakersfield to visit his mother.

But would it be enough? Pussy would be around him, flocking in his direction. Would he be able to leave them alone? She could meet someone new. She could find someone that could make her happier than what he was. Maybe it was better for it to happen that way.

But Happy refused to believe it. He wasn't going to give her up that easily. She belonged to him. He hated that Clay wasn't giving Happy any say in what they were going to do with Shayla just because Shayla didn't have his Crow on her.

Happy wasn't ready for something like that. Not yet. He and Shayla had just started dating. He wasn't going to put his Crow on her just to keep her in Tacoma, it didn't matter how tempted he was.

Shayla sat up once more then flopped over in the bed so she could get in the drawer of her nightstand. She pulled out a lighter and a joint before she sat back up on the bed so she could settle back between Happy's legs. She lit the joint and puffed on it for a bit before handing it to Happy. Happy took a few hits quietly then handed it back to Shayla. This continued until it was burned down. Happy tossed the roach in the ashtray then leaned back. The weed helped the pair of them relax. Happy couldn't even imagine the anxiety Shayla was experiencing. Her entire future was about to be decided by a vote. It wasn't like they weren't going to allow her to come back after everything was said and done, but the way it worked with her classes was if she missed so many days she would risk being kicked out. After that, there was no reason for her to come back to Tacoma. No reason other than Happy.

"You know," Shayla finally spoke up once she snuggled back into his chest. "I guess I was thinking crazy that I could ever do this. I should have known that something would happen that would force me to go back to Charming."

"We'll figure this out," Happy told her.

"There's nothing to figure out. FAFSA barely paid anything on my tuition because my mom and Clay made too much money. They emptied their savings and even pulled some money from TM. I was crazy to think I would ever be able to go to school and actually finish," she said.

"What do you mean?" Happy asked her as he ran his fingers through her hair.

"Mom and Clay went into debt to send me to school this year. The out-of-state costs were ridiculous and I'm doing everything I can to help pay them back but now that I've quit my job…" Shayla sighed.

"How much was your tuition?"

"Around thirty thousand for absolutely everything. Saved a lot of money not staying on campus thankfully and FAFSA helped with like ten grand, but that's still a lot of money." She kissed at his chest for a moment. "Even if I manage to finish this year, how am I going to do it next year?"

"Yeah." Happy pressed his lips to the top of her head. "We'll figure this out. I promise. You're going to finish school one way or another." Shayla looked up at him with a grin. "I promise." She kissed his lips gently.

"You are pretty amazing," she whispered. Happy grinned as she snuggled back against him. "I don't want to leave you, Hap."

"Even if you have to go back to Charming, you can come back to Tacoma after everything is over with. Even if something happens with school," he told her.

"Yeah, I suppose. I was making some damned good money at VacaGetaway just working part time," she said. Happy hummed. "I don't know if I would come back here, though. School was the whole point of coming to Tacoma in the first place. I probably would though because I would miss you too damned much." She looked up to him.

"Would you miss me?" she asked him. Happy scoffed.

"Fuck no. I'll be getting some peace and quiet again," he teased. Shayla gave him a playful glare. He kissed her lips gently.

"Would you want me to come back to Tacoma if something happens and I can't go back to school?" Shayla asked him.

"Yeah," Happy answered her. "I don't want you to go back to Charming period."

"Even if I don't have to go back to Charming because of this vote, I still have to go back for Christmas break because of the softball tournament," she reminded him.

"I'm going to try to come see you play. You got me curious on that shit," he told her. "Might be hot as hell in your uniform."

"Not really. It's gray and black because TM is my team's sponsor and we wear the colors of the Sons. Tig says it makes my ass look funny too," she told him. Happy snorted.

"I'll be the judge of that," he said squeezing her ass cheek a couple times. Shayla giggled. They fell into silence for a moment.

"When is this vote going to happen?" Shayla asked.

"Seven."

Shayla looked to the clock. They still had a few hours before it was time.

"Can we just lay here until it's time?" Shayla asked as she grabbed the blanket and pulled it up over her shoulder.

"Yeah."

Shayla slid down a little to where she could rest her head against his stomach. Happy ran his fingers through her hair for a few moments. Happy knew it wasn't going to last long. Shayla couldn't sit still long. Especially with the anxiety she was pretending not to have.

"You know, before we even hooked up, I kept telling myself that I wasn't ready for another relationship. After everything that happened with me and my ex, you can't really blame me. I knew how I felt about you, but I just ignored it. I kept telling myself I needed to heal. To make myself whole again." Shayla lifted herself up so she could look to Happy. "But now I don't think I can do that without you." She scoffed as she laid her head back down on him. "That probably sounds really pathetic, but it's the truth. If I have to go back to Charming…" She sighed. "I don't want to lose you, Hap. I just got you."

"We're going to figure this out. One way or another," Happy told her.

"Would you ever consider moving to Charming?" Shayla asked him. Happy hummed.

"Never really have before. It's too quiet there," he told her honestly.

"Would you because of me?" Shayla asked.

"It's not going to matter. You're not going back to Charming," Happy tried to convince her. Shayla chuckled as she sat up.

"I have an idea," she told him with a grin. She looked in the floor on his side of the bed, but didn't see what she was looking for. She crawled over to her edge of the bed and looked in the floor as well. She bent over the edge of the bed, her ass and pussy being put on perfect display for him.

Happy smirked. All it would take is for him to crawl over, grab her hips, and…

Happy's thoughts were pulled back to reality when she sat up. She held his kutte in her hand, then turned back to Happy and crawled into his lap. Happy watched her curiously.

"Okay, so, you can be the college student and I-" she slid Happy's kutte on. "Can be the Enforcer." She brought her arms up and flexed her biceps for Happy making him chuckle. "That way I can have a vote and I will push a vote for Clay to go fuck himself." Happy snorted.

"There's more to being an Enforcer than putting on the kutte," Happy told her. Shayla crossed her arms. Happy had to admit, seeing Shayla in his kutte was fucking sexy as hell.

"I know that Happy Lowman!" she hissed. "You don't think I could kick some ass? I totally could." She looked down at his patches. She ran her fingers across the Tacoma patch, then across the Men of Mayhem patch. Her fingers lingered on that one for a bit causing Happy to frown.

"Is it hard?" she asked him quietly. Happy narrowed his eyes at her. "Having to make people meet Mr. Mayhem?"

"It's best not to think about it," he told her honestly.

"I guess you're right," she said then started to shrug it off. Happy reached out to stop her from taking it off.

"Leave it on," he commanded her. He took his free hand and opened the nightstand drawer on his side of the bed.

"Why?" Shayla asked.

"Because I'm going to fuck you while you're wearing my kutte," he told her as he pulled a condom from the drawer. Shayla giggled as she leaned forward to kiss his lips.


	39. Chapter 39

It had only taken Shayla roughly forty five minutes and a joint before she decided that she couldn't sit still anymore. She had stumbled a little when she had gotten out of bed. Partially because Happy had left her a trembling mess, but mostly because the sheet wrapped around her ankle. She had dressed in a black T-shirt with a scythe on the front of it. Her jeans were light blue in color. She slipped on her shoes with a huff.

Happy watched her as she stared down at her shoes. She nibbled on her lip as her brow knitted together so she could think. There was no doubt that she was thinking about the upcoming vote.

"I can't wait to go home," she grumbled as she stared down at her shoes then she sighed. "That's if I don't have to go back to Charming." Happy stepped next to her as he finished working his knife on to his belt.

"Maybe we can go to my place for a night," Happy offered. Shayla lifted her eyes to him and watched him curiously. Her head tilted to the side a little. Happy raised a brow at her. "What?"

"What place?"

"My place," Happy said again. Shayla stood from the bed then stretched her arms above her head.

"I didn't know you had a place," she said honestly. Happy gave her a flat look.

"I don't live here, Shay," he told her with amusement on his breath. Shayla scoffed and started gathering up clothes that hadn't quite made it to the hamper yet.

"I mean, duh, but I just never thought about it before. We've never been there or even talked about it." Happy shrugged his shoulder and he leaned against the dresser.

"It's just an apartment," Happy told her nonchalantly.

"I'd like to see it," Shayla said after she dumped the rest of the clothes in the hamper. She made her way to the bed so she could make it up. Happy stood on the other side so he could help her.

"I'll take you," Happy said as Shayla spread the top sheet across the bed. Shayla grinned at him then started focusing on tucking the sheet under the mattress. Happy could tell she was worried about the upcoming vote later that evening. Happy saw it in her eyes. She was trying to keep her mind by making mindless banter.

"Can we go to your place after the vote?" she asked as she readied the blanket to put on the bed.

"Maybe, we'll see how everything goes," Happy told her. He watched as she fanned the blanket over the bed. Happy tugged on the corners on his side while Shayla did the same on hers.

Shayla fell quiet once more. She tried to keep her mind off what was to come, but it always drifted back. She hated that the club was making that kind of decision, but what was worse was that she had no say in the matter. It was her life, her future, but none of that mattered. All that mattered was the vote

The vote dictated all.

She couldn't remember how many officers Tacoma had officially. There was always patches coming and going that it was enough to make Shayla's head spin. She knew of Lee, Happy, Kozik, Titan, and Pudge. Titan was still in the hospital recovering from his gunshot. Pudge was the treasurer of the Tacoma charter that was a veterinarian during the day.

She suspected Travis's vote didn't count anymore.

Still, that was only five votes that she had in her favor. Those numbers stood no chance against SAMCRO's votes. Especially since they were proxying the members' votes that were still in Charming.

She turned away from the bed and picked up the hamper. She stepped into the bathroom to make sure there were no stray fabrics in need of washing. Since she didn't have to worry about work anymore, she had a chance to catch up on a few chores. She grabbed a couple of washcloths in the bathroom in a stray sock and tossed them in the hamper.

She stepped back out into the dorm and took a quick look around for any stragglers.

A loud eruption of laughter came from the main room and echoed off the walls of their room. Shayla glanced at the door and sighed.

"Ya know, we haven't been alone since we started dating," she said still staring at the door. Happy tilted his head in curiosity.

"We've been alone," Happy said. "We _are_ alone." Shayla gave him a flat look then rolled her eyes.

"Well yeah, we've been alone in _here_, sure, but it's never just you and me," she said then her gaze settled back on the door. "But there's always someone on the other side of that door."

Sometimes it fucking sucked that the club always came first.

"Don't worry, babe we'll get to," Happy promised then opened the door so she could step through.

"We better, Boo Bear," Shayla spat playfully as she walked out into the hallway. Happy gave her ass a firm slap, earning a satisfying yelp from Shayla. Shayla glared at him playfully as she pressed the hamper against her hip so she could carry it one handed. "I'm getting real tired of not being able to tear your clothes off anywhere I want to," she finished. Happy smirked as she started down the hall towards the main room.

It would appear that all the patches that were needing to cast a vote were beginning to arrive. Two of them sat by themselves at the bar. She had seen the men around before, maybe even talked to them, but she couldn't remember their names.

Clay and Lee were off to themselves having a private conversation. Private or not, Clay's gaze found her while he spoke, even if it was for a split second. Jax was nowhere to be found and neither was Opie for that matter. Good, maybe Jax and Opie were talking and just maybe Opie was talking sense into her brother. If Opie was even on her side.

Chibs, Tig, and the Prospect were grouped together and judging by the Prospect's slumped composure, he was getting picked on.

Shayla hiked the hamper higher up her hip before she stalked towards the Prospect. She caught his attention as she approached.

"Here, hold this," she demanded as she pushed the hamper into his hands. He caught it on instinct. She reached up and snagged the cigarette from Tig's mouth then took a drag. Happy stopped next to Shayla as she eyed the Prospect.

"The fuck are you doing?" she hissed. The Prospect's eyes widened and his mouth fell open. He started stammering for words even though nothing he said was going to be right and he knew it. "Go wash the fucking laundry!" She snapped her fingers in the direction of the laundry. He pouted, but still turned on his heel without a word to do as she said.

He was her bitch after all.

"Fucking Prospects," Tig grumbled.

Shayla handed the cigarette back to Tig. Tig took it and took a puff.

"So, a vote, huh?" Shayla mentioned. Tig ran his thumb across his lower lip and gave her a curt nod.

"Jax and Ope are getting proxys right now." Shayla glanced to the front door of the clubhouse. They were most likely out front. Opie wouldn't be talking to her brother. He would be talking to Piney.

A bout of anxiety washed over her. Her body tensed up. Her ribs solidified making it damned near impossible to breathe. She took a quick look around. Jesus when did so many people get inside the room? They all seemed too close to her. Crowding her. Why was it suddenly so cold? She glanced over her shoulder towards the hallway.

She had to get out of there. She needed space. She needed to breathe.

She held her breath as hands lightly grabbed her shoulders. She looked before her to see Chibs. He watched her, worry shining brightly in his eyes.

Shayla swallowed.

"C'mon, love," he coaxed her. She followed along with him. They found their way to the table farthest away from everyone else. Shayla pulled the chair back, forcing her hand not to shake as she did so. She flopped down in the chair and leaned forward.

Chibs sat in the seat across from her as he studied her actions. He knew what was happening with her. He'd seen it before. He could see her eyes shifting as if every little sound scared her. He had watched her plan her escape route back to Happy's dorm. Her panic attacks always drove her into seclusion.

She clenched her fingers together on the table in front of her as she scanned the room. She stopped when she found Tig and Happy telling the Prospect to bring everyone drinks. She looked back to her hands and squeezed her knuckles together. She took a deep, shaky breath.

Chibs leaned forward and covered her hands with his own. Shayla looked in his eyes. He gave her a kind smile to reassure her.

"Everything is going to be okay," he said, trying to sound as comforting as possible. Happy and Tig joined them. Tig placed a beer in front of Chibs while Happy placed one in front of Shayla.

"The fucks wrong with you?" Happy asked as he took his spot next to her. Shayla shrugged without meeting his gaze.

"Panic attack?" Tig asked nonchalantly.

"Yeah," Chibs answered.

"Panic attack?" Happy asked leaning forward a little. He eyed Shayla warily.

"Yeah, it happens," Tig said.

"I'm so glad that you're able to talk about this as if it isn't a big deal," Shayla hissed.

"Because it isn't that big a deal," Tig argued.

"I know," Shayla whined as she leaned her head on Chibs' hands.

"You know what to do, Princess," he told her. She took a moment.

"I feel the warmth in Chibs' hands." Happy narrowed his eyes at her. "I can see the table top." Happy glanced to Tig for some kind of idea as to what Shayla was doing. "I can hear the jukebox." Shayla took a deep breath. "And I'm pretty sure I can smell pussy on the table." Shayla lifted her head and rubbed her nose.

"Nah, tha's me," Chibs said proudly as he leaned back in his seat. The motion made him take his hands back. Thankfully. He held his fingers out to Tig. "Have a smell."

Tig groaned and leaned away from Chibs.

"Ah, c'mon, man, I've seen the bitch you've been rubbing up on since we've been here and you need to wash your hands. Seriously, she has a rash," Tig told him.

"Only because you gave it to her," Happy spoke up. Shayla and Chibs laughed while Tig glared at his friend. Shayla grinned at Chibs across the table. Her panic attack was starting to subside with the playful banter. She took a sip of her beer.

"You're on my side, right Chibs?"

Chibs frowned at her before he gave a quick glance to Tig.

"It's not safe 'ere, love," Chibs told her calmly. Shayla scoffed then shook her head. She looked to Tig.

"And what about you? Do you got my back?" she asked. Tig reached out and flicked her on the nose.

"Always."

Shayla had called Becky to talk to her about taking some time off work. She used the fact that midterms were coming up and she was needing to study for them as much as possible. Maybe just a week or so after some of her midterms were over.

It wasn't entirely a lie. Not totally. It was true that she was going to need to cram for her midterms so she could relax a little during the next part of the year. She had her algebra midterm coming up, though she was planning on testing out of the class so she didn't have to worry about the class for the rest of the year.

Her Desktop Publishing class had an easy midterm, just defining terms and filling in the blanks on basic things when it came to the course.

Becky sounded a little disappointed, but agreed in the end that she needed to focus on her studies. It had went a lot better than what she had thought, but Shayla promised to come by and see everyone every once in a while.

When she flipped her phone closed, she felt someone come in close to her, she felt the hair on her neck stand on end, she could swear that she smelled cologne. It all happened so fast that she wasn't able to register what was going on until it was too late. Someone screamed in her ear, which in turn, caused her to scream. She jumped forward and turned on whoever the fuck was going to be getting their ass kicked to find Opie standing there with a satisfied smirk on his lips.

Shayla balled up her fist and punched his chest. Opie _oofed_ and clutched where she hit him. He chuckled as he threw his arm around her shoulders then led her over to the bar.

"That wasn't funny, Harry," she growled at him. Opie slapped her on the shoulder, and if her body hadn't already toughened up from him doing such things to her over the years, she may have said it hurt.

"Don't be such a sourpuss," he grumbled as he flopped down on the barstool.

"You know how much I hate it when you sneak up on me," she snapped. Opie shrugged.

"I just wanted to talk to you about all this shit you started," he said. Shayla huffed as she sat down in her stool as well.

"Not much to talk about since it's going to be put up for a vote that I'm not going to have any say in," she said sounding a little more hateful than what she was really wanting.

"I still want to hear your side of this," he said.

"What's to tell? You already know. I noticed that a lot of the Sweet Butts were high on something that the club didn't agree with and I brought it up to Happy. He brought it to the table without knowing what Travis was doing and I've put myself in the middle of this shit show," she spat. She had repeated the story more times than she could count. She felt like she was back at work where everything was scripted.

"Tig was here, why didn't you tell him about it?" Opie asked. He didn't sound angry with her that she didn't, just curious. And rightfully so. She always told Tig everything.

Hell, Shayla had went to Tig when she had first started her period instead of doing the logical thing and going to her mother. That was an awkward day for SAMCRO.

"It was SAMTAC's problem. I didn't want to get SAMCRO involved," she admitted. Opie hummed as he lit up a cigarette.

"I know you don't want to go back to Charming," he said quietly. "But it's dangerous here for you right now." Shayla scoffed and rolled her eyes.

"How can it be?" She crossed her arms over her chest. "I'm on lockdown, I quit my job, I've not left the clubhouse since Kozy told you guys about Tiki watching me. I don't only have SAMCRO here watching over me, but SAMTAC too. Besides," she stepped in closer to Opie then put her finger in his chest to help get her point across. "You know I'm more than capable of taking care of myself."

Opie gave her a tight lipped look. He remained quiet as he studied her for a moment. Shayla tried to remain strong. She wanted him to see that she was prepared. She could handle herself. And if she couldn't, then at least she had Happy.

"That's what Pop said," he finally spoke. Shayla grinned. Of course Piney would say that about her. Hell, he was one of the reasons that she was able to take care of herself.

"Is he on my side?" Shayla asked though she knew she wasn't going to be able to get an answer from him. Proxy votes were never revealed until it was time to put the votes in.

Opie shrugged just as Shayla had suspected. He stared at his cigarette in his hand as he clearly had an internal battle with himself.

"And what about you?" she asked him.

"Can I ask you something and you give me an honest answer?" Opie asked and Shayla nodded. "Are you only wanting to stay here because of Hap?" Shayla scoffed as she let her eyes scan the room until she found Happy.

He sat with Chibs and Tig at the table Shayla had just left moments before to call Becky to let her know the bad news about her leaving VacaGetaway. He appeared to be listening to something that Tig was saying very intently. He seemed to be genuinely interested in what Tig was talking about. He sipped his beer casually.

"You know how bad I've wanted to get out of Charming, Ope. How bad I needed to get out of there. Chase my dreams. Prove that I can be someone without the club," she said beginning to sound a little desperate with her words. Opie had been the only one she trusted to voice her mind to. He was always the level-headed type so he was able to discuss things with her rationally.

"Why is that so important to you?" he asked. "To be something without the club." He mashed the cigarette out in the ashtray the last bits of smoke flowing from his mouth in a thin stream. Shayla faced the bar and leaned her elbows on it.

"Because I have never been something without the club. I've relied on you guys since…" She paused and looked to Opie out of the corner of her eye. She didn't need to go on. He knew what she was getting at. "I'm not trying to prove anything to you guys. I'm trying to prove something to me." Opie nodded then chewed on her words for a moment. His jaw worked loosely.

"I know I'm not supposed to influence the vote or anything, but, please, Opie, I can't leave Tacoma," she begged him. Opie pressed his lips together tightly.

"That was all inspirational and all, but you never answered my question," Opie stated as he lit another cigarette. Shayla gave him a curious look. "Are you staying for Hap?" Shayla rolled her eyes.

"Of course I want to stay here because of him," she hissed. "He's my fucking boyfriend, you idiot! How long do you think it'll last if I have to go back to Charming?" Opie chuckled.

"Fair enough," Opie said with a small grin. Shayla rolled her eyes and turned her attention to the back of the bar. She glared at nothing while she sorted out her thoughts for a moment before she discovered she had no thoughts that needed to be sorted. She sighed.

"I just want to be treated like everyone else," she murmured. Opie hummed in understanding. She had talked to him about it before. She hated how she was treated differently just because of her bloodline. Everyone looked and acted different around her. They treated her with a respect that Shayla didn't feel she earned, though every action she did worked towards was an attempt to earn it.

Including coming to Tacoma.

"Well, I don't know if you got the memo, but you're not everyone else," Opie reminded her. Shayla sighed and ran her hand over her hair. Shayla sighed again because he was right.

"I'm not scared, Opie," she told him. She turned so she could face him. "I wasn't scared when Travis had that thing to my throat, I wasn't scared when Happy told me that Tiki wanted me." She hoped that she sounded as confident as she felt.

"The only thing I'm scared of is going back to Charming and losing everything that I have worked so hard for."

Opie grinned then reached out and patted her cheek a couple times.

"That's my girl," he said with pride. Shayla grinned.

"So, do you have my back?" she asked.

"You know I can't tell you that."

Shayla chuckled.

"Eh, it was worth a shot," she said with a shrug.


End file.
